1900 



GLEANINGS IN BKK CUVrURK. 



661 



has one paddle. One hand is placed on the 

 top of the oar, while it stands straight up and 

 down in the water ; the other hand grasps it 

 near the blade, and you pull back. Then set 

 your oar in again, and keep doing so. If I 

 am correct this is the Indian fashion of pro- 

 pelling a boat. An expert will paddle on ei- 

 ther side, and without changing, mind you, 

 and make the boat shoot through the water 

 lively too. 



For quite a little time I was very fearful the 

 boat would dip water and sink with all our 

 valuables ; and, come to think of it, I don't 

 know but Ed and Tommy were also fearful 

 for a time, unless I either learned to obey or- 

 ders or got out and went afoot on shore. 

 While I think of it, the shores of Severn Riv- 

 er are about as handsome, with their grassy 

 green borders, as any river I ever saw any- 

 where. For a time we saw very pretty farm- 

 houses along the banks, and very fair crops 

 of potatoes, barley, oats, rutabagas, etc. ; but 

 toward night our river on either side was wall- 

 ed with cliffs of granite rock that had resisted 

 the wash of the water for ages. 



I sat as I have described, and paddled for 

 an hour without very much cramp in my knees; 

 but finally I had to change my position. 



Mr. G. said "this was the case usually the 

 first day, but that nature would soon adapt 

 herself to it, as with the horse, bicycle, etc. 

 After going about eight miles (about two hours 

 paddling), I began to feel somewhat tired ; 

 but in undertaking to cross Sparrow Lake, 

 with quite a wind ahead, when we got in the 

 trough of the waves it began to look danger- 

 ous. When some water came over into the 

 boat we were obliged to tack and pull pretty 

 livt ly to keep the boat from rocking. Pretty 

 soon I was agreeably surprised to find one 

 could get a second wind paddling as well as 

 with a bicycle. Sparrow Lake is three by five 

 miles, and Severn River goes into it and then 

 goes out again ; and about two miles down 

 from the outlet is a very pretty rapids. The 

 Indians run down these rapids, but very few 

 white people do. The usual wav is to unload 

 the boat and carry or drag it over a rocky 

 foot-path. After it is in the water again, the 

 luggage is " lugged " over and put in the boat 

 again. This operation is called "portage," 

 or "portaging the rapids." While looking 

 around close to the portage, Ed uttered an ex- 

 clamation of delight as he bent over a beauti- 

 ful tree laden with bright scarlet berries. 

 They were so much larger and finer than any 

 June-berries I ever saw I hardly recognized 

 them. Oh! but weren't they delicious? It 

 seemed to me then and there after our brisk 

 paddling, I never tasted any fruit more lus- 

 cious. The foliage, too, was bright, clear, and 

 thrifty, beyond any cultivated ones I ever 

 saw. I spoke about getting seeds or grafts, 

 but was told I should need the granite rocks 

 and peculiar soil to grow berries like these in 

 Muskoka. 



We soon camped for the night, for I, at 

 least, was tired enough, for I hadn't had a 

 nap all day. My big woolen blanket, spread 

 over some odoriferous green shrubs, made a 

 bed as delicious, almost, as the berries. My 



blanket is labeled " Canada Gray, size 62X82, 

 weight 8 lbs," and price $1.50. Mine is a 

 double (just twice the above), and cost fiS.OO. 

 Why, that blanket alone makes a nice sleep- 

 place almost anywhere. When I get home I 

 believe I will try camping out with this blan- 

 ket under the early-apple trees in our door- 

 yard. I firmly believe no bedroom can be 

 ventilated to give all the advantage of sleep- 

 ing in the open air. 



Very early in the morning we tried our new 

 fishing-tackle. I caught the first fish. It was 

 my favorite black bass, and I got it almost as 

 soon as I threw in. Ed and Tommy soon fol- 

 lowed with much larger fish, and all black 

 bass. We pulled them out almost as fast as 

 we threw in, and soon I started over the bank 

 for the tent, for more bait ; but before I knew 

 it the ground was literally carpeted with wi7i- 

 tergreens—Wie brightest and prettiest and 

 most toothsome I ever tasted, even in child- 

 hood. 



Yesterday some sound gave me a strange 

 thrill. Almost before I could analyze it Ed 

 exclaimed, "Oh! the sound of that 'cow- 

 bell'! how it brings back old memories!" 

 Well, these wintergreens made me feel like a 

 boy again. A little further, and the ground 

 was blue, almost, with huckleberries. Can 

 you wonder that I overheard Tommy say, 

 pretty soon, " I guess / had better get that 

 bait"? 



Well, out here in the wilderness everybody 

 does just as he pleases. I had some potatoes 

 roasted in the ashes, with a black bass roasted 

 in the same way, and I ate " charcoal and 

 all," even if the rest did look surprised. Tom- 

 my would keep spilling honey on the dining- 

 room floor (leaves and rotten logs), and Ed 

 would be so indecorous as to toss the fishbones 

 over his shoulder. 



We don't even have to put away the things; 

 and, unless it rains, we don't even put things 

 in the tent. Campers go off all day, or long- 

 er, and leave valuable articles all scattered 

 around anywhere. Why, only last week a 

 party that was to join ours went off and left 

 the camp-fire so a high wind carried it over to 

 their tent, and burned up all their stuff. One 

 of the men left his money in his vest pocket, 

 hanging up iu the tent, and I actually saw the 

 charred pocketbook, and charred bank notes. 

 It is the rule all over Muskoka to hold sacred 

 the property in any camp when the owners 

 are away. Nothing is locked up, and no one 

 has ever heard of any thing being stolen. 

 The Indians often come around and examine 

 every thing, for they are very curious ; but I 

 can not hear of an Indian that ever stole any 

 thing from a camp. Kodaks, musical instru- 

 ments, and other very valuable property, are 

 as safe, if miles from any human habitation, 

 as locks and watch-dogs could make them. 



On the second day my comrades went off and 

 left me alone on the island the greater part of 

 the day. Like Robinson Crusoe I was " mon- 

 arch " of all, and, like him, I heard voices in- 

 dicating other human beings were near. I 

 looked through the bushes, and soon saw a 

 merry party of boys and girls portaging around 

 the rapids, across the bay. Toward night, 



