222 



JPeguam 

 IfieJTisfier 



Why is he called the fisher? That is one 

 of the mysteries. Ask the half-breeds of the 

 great Barren Grounds, and they may tell 

 you, perhaps, that he is called fisher because 

 he is a most industrious thief in stealing 

 the fish with which they bait their traps, 

 in angling them out of the cunning de- 

 vices without getting his own paw caught 

 or bringing the heavy deadfall down on his 

 own back. The name Weejack, however, 

 which still clings to him there, has no thought 

 of fish or fishing in it, but suggests rather 

 the elves and goblins, the cunning and mis- 

 chievous Little Folk, that are supposed to 

 $ haunt the solitudes and play havoc with the 

 trapper's saple line. 



The earlier naturalists, catching rare 

 y / L{>\ glimpses of Pequam and trusting to their 

 own knowledge rather than to the Indians' 

 better understanding, probably called him 

 fisher because they confused him with Kee- 

 onekh the otter, whom he slightly resembles 

 and w r ho is a famous fisherman. Like all 

 weasels — and next to Carcajou the wolver- 

 ine he is greatest and fiercest of his tribe — 







M'l^ 





