out of screen wire that was affixed to the rim of a huge buggy 

 wheel minus its spokes. 



The scene demanded that we stop. We knew the story behind 

 this bizarre and unearthly scene. In 1913, Michigan had im- 

 ported millions of salt-water smelt eggs from Maine to generate 

 a food supply for landlocked salmon. The salmon disappeared 

 but the smelt thrived. They found their way into Lakes Michi- 

 gan and Huron and each spring jammed the creeks to spawn. 

 For several years during the war they mysteriously disappeared, 

 then came back stronger than ever. And each spring, Michi- 

 ganders went smelt-mad. 



Selecting a point of vantage at the rail of the bridge that 

 spanned the creek, we found ourselves next to a conservation 



153 



