PIKE STOLEN BY BEAR 73 



Below the third portage we camped for the 

 night, after having there cut and cleared a 

 portage pathway through the forest, as we failed 

 to find any old track made by Indians. The 

 river above this rapid broke into more than one 

 channel, and apparently they evade this last 

 rapid by taking through, or portaging, at one 

 of the other branches. No one could run the 

 water we encountered in a canoe. 



Fished with fly in river to-night, but saw no 

 sign of trout. Caught 5 -lb. pike on minnow. 



Shot two specimens — a Northern Raven and 

 a Grey-Cheeked Thrush. 



June 19. — Mosquitoes and black flies were 

 particularly virulent last evening ; it was 

 calm and close — omens of a weather change, and 

 sure enough all to-day it rained heavily. In the 

 morning we decided it was too wet to travel 

 on account of portages ahead where stores would 

 be soaked were we to uncover them for pack 

 transport overland. 



So we stayed in camp all day, I skinning and 

 looking over my case of specimens, Joe cooking 

 meals over a spluttering fire, and baking a few 

 days' supply of sour-dough bannock from the 

 sack of flour. 



The 5 lb. pike caught last evening was gone 

 in the morning from the tree on which it had been 

 hung. A bear had taken it, for claw marks were 

 on the bark where the thief had reached up to 

 plunder our larder. I could well imagine the 

 brute in the dead of night contentedly licking 

 over its lips when it had finished the meal as it 

 ambled away into the forest, well pleased at 



