A Sportsman 239 



there when favorable for the pursuits of the Indians, 

 while I followed my fishing inclinations, and in shooting 

 small game for the larder, partridges and ducks, though 

 not plentiful, were sufficient for our wants. Our trip, 

 covering three weeks, extended over the Machias lakes 

 and ponds, and up the Fifth Lake stream to a lake of the 

 same name, and over the Compass and Duck lakes 

 to within forty miles of Bangor, where I took con- 

 veyance to that city. 



It was ver}'^ interesting to follow from lake to 

 lake over the old Indian trails familiar to my guides, 

 where a carriage of our canoe was necessary. The 

 two Indians secured an abundant supply of muskrat 

 skins with their traps, as well as cranberries. These 

 Indians had a decided preference for the young 

 muskrats as an article of food over any other, and 

 I, commencing somewhat hesitatingly at first, foimd 

 them exceedingly sweet and palatable. The muskrat 

 is not a carnivorous animal, being allied to the beaver, 

 living mainly upon succulent water-growing roots, and 

 vegetable foods, although partial to fresh water clams, 

 abundant in Maine waters. It is a nocturnal animal, 

 and a ver>' interesting one, building mounds of a few 

 feet in height for winter quarters, where their com- 

 fortable grass beds are found. Many of these mounds 

 are connected with the shores by under water routes, 

 which they take care shall be deep enough to keep 

 from freezing over, and connect with subterranean 

 earth galleries. The farmers and natives often conjec- 

 txu-e concerning the severity of the coming winter by the 

 dimensions of the muskrat mounds, and it has been 

 obser\'ed that however severe the floods, the muskrats' 

 mounds are sufficiently prepared for them. 



