and partition among them, or whether (which 

 is more likely) their right consists in dis- 

 covery or first arrival, there is no means of 7(osAomenos 

 knowing. the ^^^ufcasf 



I had not half settled this matter of the 

 division of trout streams when another 

 observation came, which was utterly unex- 

 pected. Koskomenos, half reptile though he 

 seem, not only recognizes riparian rights, 

 but he is also capable of friendship — and 

 that, too, for a moody prowler of the wilder- 

 ness whom no one else cares anything about. 

 Here is the proof. — 



I was out in my canoe alone, looking for a 

 loon's nest, one midsummer day, when the 

 fresh tracks of a bull caribou drew me to 

 shore. The trail led straight from the water 

 to a broad alder belt ; beyond which, on the 

 hillside, I might find the big brute loafing 

 his time away till evening should come, and 

 watch him to see what he would do with 

 himself. 



As I turned shoreward, a kingfisher 

 sounded his rattle and came darting across 

 the mouth of the bay where Hukweem the 



