OTHER TOUES 235 



it reaches the water. A portage across a hill and a 

 tedious journey along six miles of a narrow river, little 

 more than a creek overhung with bushes, conducts to 

 another portage through a brule of about an hour, 

 measured by the time that is required to get over it. 



Lac a Jim is a handsome body of water seven to 

 eight miles long, which takes its name from the site, 

 still visible, of the former camp of Jim Raphael, an 

 old-time Indian hunter. Its waters teem with fish 

 of various kinds. Its ouananiche are so large and 

 dark that the Indians call them ouchachoumac, or 

 salmon. Seldom, if ever, do they with readiness take 

 the artificial fly in these waters. But the sport to 

 be had by trolling is of a very high order. And it is 

 not confined to ouananiche either, for large brook- 

 trout, and larger lake-trout, as well as monster pike, 

 frequent its waters. Dore are there too, and often 

 seize the angler's troll. Lac a Jim empties into the 

 Mistassini by way of the Wassiemska River, a heavy, 

 rough, violent stream, whose rapids will bear com- 

 parison with those of the large main tributaries of 

 Lake St. John. The run down this river in bark 

 canoe is a very exciting experience. The Mistassini 

 River is reached close to its tenth fall, and a few 

 hours suffice to run the remaining rapids and portage 

 the intervening falls until the camp at the Cinquieme 

 Chute is come to. This attractive lair of the ouana- 

 niche has been described in the chapter on the Mistas- 

 sini, together with the lower stretches of the river. 

 The entire round trip can be comfortably made in 

 nine or ten days. 



Interesting trips may also be made by way of the 



