126 



RECREATION. 



WHY NOT WOMEN 'ALSO? . 

 Mrs. J. W. Thew. 



We realize forcibly what it is to be " only a 

 woman," when we hear our husbands plan- 

 ning a hunting or fishing trip, in which 

 we are not to participate. Our greatest con- 

 solation, in such cases, is in the promises of 

 an abundant supply of bear meat, venison, 

 fish, etc. Such promises we had had to 

 soothe us in our misfortune of belonging to the 

 weaker sex up to the first of October, when 

 we saw our "hero" with the "protectors" of 

 seven other disconsolate wives, start for 

 White Fish Lake in northern Michigan. 



Their first communication informed us 

 that after a delightful trip they arrived at 

 their destination, to find an old settler wait- 

 ing at the little station to carry their bag- 

 gage to the lake (a distance of six miles), 

 while they walked through the woods ; that 

 they had pitched their tent on a beautiful lit- 

 tle stream emptying into the lake, were 

 spending their time looking for deer signs, 

 and had actually seen two deer, but had 

 nothing but fine shot in their guns, and — 

 well here again their noble natures asserted 

 themselves, for it seemed cruel to shoot the 

 first they saw. But they proposed to kill the 

 next one they saw. They were living on 

 small game, such as grouse, squirrels, fish, 

 etc. 



Next, they have killed a fine buck weigh- 

 ing 150 pounds; two of them carrying it 

 three miles through the swamps, and into 

 camp, heroes of the day. The next let- 

 ter, and that which interested us most, 

 was a night at "shining." We can best 

 describe it as it was written to us. " Last 

 night about nine o'clock, Mr. S. and I, 



with the boy hunter for a guide to pole for 

 us, started out along the shore of the lake to 

 shine for deer. S. sat in the front of the 

 boat with a dark lantern fastened to his cap; 

 I in the middle, the boy at the end poling. 

 The moon had just gone down behind the 

 timber. The dark timber cast a dismal 

 shadow far out into the lake, while the light 

 from the lantern lit up the shore a short 

 distance, into the radiance of which we were 

 all straining our eyes to catch the first 

 glimpse of the shining eyes of a deer. Our 

 boy noiselessly poled the boat along about 

 20 yards from the shore for a half hour, 

 when suddenly it stopped. I listened 

 breathlessly and heard a splashing in the 

 water. The boat was gently turned shore- 

 ward, and by closely looking I saw two 

 pairs of eyes looking at our light. Another 

 push or two, and we were ready to shoot. I 

 worked myself around, took aim, and 

 waited for S. to shoot. He took the one on 

 his side and I the other. We waited about 

 10 seconds and bang went both guns. We 

 could hear no sound but the echo of the guns. 

 We quickly pulled ashore, and were about 

 to jump out, when our guide told us to be 

 careful, for if we had wounded a buck he 

 would probably attack us. We landed and 

 were soon bending over a fine deer." 



Our fondest hopes were realized when 

 they returned, having gained much in ex- 

 perience and avoirdupois; we having mean- 

 while posted ourselves on how to cook veni- 

 son — and we had some to cook, no matter 

 where it came from. Next year we pur- 

 pose going along, as experience is the only 

 thing that will convince us there is not 

 as much recreation and enjoyment in an out- 

 ing of this kind for women as for men. 



