FACING HOMEWARD 249 



happened. "In case of doubt take to the water" is 

 Caribou wisdom, so, instead of dashing madly into the 

 tents, they made three desperate down leaps and 

 plunged into the deep water, then calmly swam for 

 the other shore, a quarter of a mile away. 



This island proved a good place for small mammals. 

 Here Preble got our first specimen of the White Lem- 

 ming. Large islands usually prove better for small 

 mammals than the mainland. They have the same 

 conditions to support life, but being moated by the 

 water are usually without the larger predatory quad- 

 rupeds. 



The great central inland of Clinton-Colden proved 

 the best place of all for Groundsquirrels. Here we 

 actually found them in colonies. 



On the 29th and 30th we paddled and surveyed with- 

 out ceasing and camped beyond the rapid at the exit 

 of Clinton-Colden. The next afternoon we made the 

 exit rapids of Casba Lake. Preble was preparing to 

 portage them, but asked Weeso, "Can we run them?" 



Weeso landed, walked to a view-point, took a squint- 

 ing look and said, "Ugh!" (Yes). Preble rejoined, 

 "All right! If he says he can, he surely can. That's 

 the Indian of it. A white man takes risks; an Indian 

 will not; if it is risky he'll go around." So we ran 

 the rapids in safety. 



Lighter each day, as the food was consumed, our 

 elegant canoe went faster. When not detained by 

 heavy seas 30 or 40 miles a day was our journe3 T . On 

 August 30 we made our last 6 miles in one hour and 

 6| minutes. On September 2, in spite of head- winds, 



