LAKE SUPERIOR. 75 



the heat, so that the fish which in our latitude are 

 in summer accustomed to desert the lakes for the 

 cool spring brooks, had mostly left the rivers for the 

 cooler lake. Only where the water was cooled and 

 aerated by a fall, or at the mouth of some trickling 

 spring, were they to be found in any numbers. 



I have said that opposite the camp there was 

 such a rivulet, and at its mouth, crowded together, 

 each striving to get his nose nearest to it, was a fine 

 school of large fish. The water of this rivulet must 

 have been not far above the freezing point in tem- 

 perature, and was delicious drinking, while the main 

 stream was nearly tepid. 



Being informed by our guides that there was a 

 second fall above the first, and good fishing near it, 

 we proceeded, after taking a few fish and a good 

 drink from our spring- water rill, to ascend the river. 

 We were compelled to make our way through the 

 brushes and undergrowth, over the dead trees, 

 and among the rocks that covered the shore, and were 

 hardly repaid for our labor ; the fall proved to be only 

 a small cascade, and though there was a deep fine 

 pool at its base which Frank assured us contained 

 trout of five pounds, we could not persuade any of 

 them to rise. As no fish above the main fail could 

 have access to the lake, I felt convinced there were 

 none of large size, and the weather continuing warm, 

 we returned early to the camp. 



That evening was again devoted to the black 

 bass, which took both the fly and spoon greedily, 

 and which, when captured, were deposited alive in 



