170 SPORT AND TRAVEL PAPERS 



as a change was met by : " In dis country only ole men with no 

 teeth eat stoo." I said no more, but the fried moose steak that 

 night seemed very tough. 



It was a delightful life in so beautiful a country and climate ; 

 we travelled entirely by canoe, for lake succeeded lake with only 

 short portages between. Canoeing over these lovely waters, 

 surrounded by wooded hills on all sides, was most enjoyable. 

 Bright yellow birches and here and there a blood-red splash of 

 maple in its autumnal garb relieved the dark, sombre foliage of 

 pines, spruces, balsams, and cedars. In some places the shores 

 were crowded with golden-leaved birch, in others with venerable 

 spruces and larches in primeval confusion, and in their old age 

 covered with masses of grey lichen. We paddled past lovely 

 islands resplendent in the brightest colours of the " fall," and 

 reflected sharply in the mirror-like surface of the lake. Some 

 of these lakes contained trout in abundance, both grey and the 

 beautiful and delicious " fontinalis," which looked exceedingly 

 well on the table, or rather the log ; in others, nothing would 

 persuade the fish (if any existed at all) to take the hook. On 

 our arrival a camp was soon made in the recesses of the bush 

 firewood collected, piled up and lit by means of birch bark, 

 balsam branches cut for mattress, and so on. And how delight- 

 ful it was in the dark forest to sit around the big camp-fire and 

 talk over the events of the day and make plans for the morrow ! 



Bird life seemed scarce ; the birds of passage had no doubt 

 already left for the south, and only the raven, owls, large and 

 small woodpeckers (the former with a gorgeous red crest), cross- 

 bills, loons, snow and moosebirds remained. The latter were 

 my favourites. Hardly had a camp been established before a 

 pair of these delightful birds made their appearance, hopping 

 about from branch to branch and closely watching all prepara- 

 tions for a meal. With head turned to one side they looked 

 exceedingly knowing, and are so tame as to take scraps almost 

 out of one's hand. With a constant and voracious appetite they 

 devour anything even uncooked salt mess pork to any extent. 

 On this account I should without the least hesitation award the 

 moose or meat bird the first prize for digestive power. Of part- 

 ridges there were a few, ridiculously tame and stupid, very 

 different from those shy birds in districts where they are con- 

 stantly hunted. The lively little squirrels went through their 



