A CAXAD/AX F/SI//XG TRIP. 



503 



quantity. In fact the ground was literally 

 covered with them. After leaving the river 

 we ascended a bluff about 50 feet above the 

 river and made a portage of 2 miles across 

 a barren, which the guide said was burned 

 about 45 years ago, when 400 miles of tim- 

 ber was destroyed. Bear are numerous 

 here, but we only saw tracks. On reach- 

 ing the end of this portage we came to a 

 small lake and while waiting for the guides 

 who had gone back for the balance of the 

 outfit we caught a fine lot of pickerel. We 

 crossed this lake and making another port- 

 age reached Twin lakes, where we camped 

 for the night. These 2 lakes are full of 

 pickerel and we caught enough for sup- 

 per in a short time. They can be caught 

 on fly, troll or live bait. 



Crossing Twin lakes we entered Brush 

 river, about 5 miles long, from 8 to 12 

 feet wide ; and with barely enough water to 

 float a loaded canoe. This river is over- 

 grown with brush, which hangs down so 

 low that one is compelled to lie down in the 

 bottom of the canoe while passing. At 

 some places large trees had fallen across 

 the stream and the guides stepped over 

 them, pushingthecanoesunder the logs. We 

 each heaved a sigh of relief when we reach- 

 ed the end of this stretch, and were able 

 to brush off the myriads of spiders which 

 had fallen on us, and which had almost 

 eaten us up. 



After a short portage, we reached an- 

 other lake about 3 miles long, where more 

 pickerel furnished good sport. Another port- 

 age of 1 J/2 miles brought us to Lake Jim, 

 and our destination. This is a beautiful sheet 

 of water, about ^ of a mile wide and 10 

 miles long. Here we camped 2 days and 

 enjoyed royal fishing. Ouananiche, wall 

 eyed pike, pickerel and ouitouche abound, 

 and furnish the finest sport on earth. 

 Bear, wild ducks, grouse and rabbits, are 

 also plentiful. We came for ouananiche, 

 and as soon as dinner was over each of us 

 selected a guide and entering the canoes 

 went in quest of this King of all fishes; the 

 Ouananiche, when hooked, shows fight 

 from the first. The very excitement and 

 unrest of his surroundings seems to ren- 

 der inactivity impossible to him, while the 

 physical exertion necessarily employed in 

 his constant struggles with those turbulent 

 waters insures for him the posession of that 

 courage, agility and strength that make him 

 the recognized champion of the finny war- 

 riors of Canadian waters. In proportion 

 to his size he can do more tackle smashing 

 than any fish that swims, and when you 

 have finally killed your ouananiche you 

 have secured one of the handsomest as well 

 as one of the gamiest fish of the entire sal- 

 mon family. 



The ouananiche in the lakes are much 

 larger than those caught in swift water. 

 Our largest one weighed $y 2 pounds, while 



I am told that 3 pounds is a good sized one 

 at the grand discharge. 



Rabbits were caught by the guides in a 

 manner which was new to me. Bits of 

 looped brass wire were fastened in a run- 

 way, without bait, and the following morn- 

 ing we had 3 fine plump rabbits which th-j 

 guide brought in alive with the wire still 

 around their necks. 



Finally we broke camp, paddled down 

 the lake and entered Jim river, which, with 

 the Wassiemska, into which it empties, 

 forms rapids 35 miles long. It gives one 

 a genuine sensation to shoot these rapids 

 and you marvel at the wonderful skill with 

 which the canoemen guide their frail craft 

 through whirling eddies, past rock? visible, 

 and others half submerged, but which they 

 distinguish with unfailing certainty. One 

 false move or the breaking of a paddle 

 would end all. for no one could swim in 

 these waters, nor could assistance be ren- 

 dered. There are numerous small falls 

 along these rivers where the canoes and 

 outfits must be carried around. 



The strength and endurance of the guides 

 is enormous. They shoulder a 100-pound 

 canoe; or with a broad strap passed over 

 the forehead carry 3 bags weighing about 

 50 pounds each, beside a bundle in one 

 hand. With this load they force their 

 way through brush and bramble, over 

 stumps, fallen trees and roots which caused 

 me to measure my length more than once, 

 although I carried nothing but my rod and 

 cushion. How they manage to see when 

 their head is under the canoe I can't 

 imagine. 



We left the Wassiemska where it empties 

 into the Mistassini, 2 miles below the 

 eleventh falls. Here we camped for the 

 night. I found a number of bear skulls 

 which had ben left by Indians, who hunt 

 through this region in winter. They also 

 are enduring but lazy. With a canvas tent 

 and a sheet iron stove they camp out all 

 winter, with the temperature often down to 

 40 below zero. 



From the eleventh to the fifth falls is a 

 distance of 25 miles where we camped and 

 fished, catching several nice ouananiche, 

 but they were smaller than those caught in 

 the lake, although harder to land as they 

 had swift water to fight in. 



Continuing on our journey we fished 

 whenever we found a place where they were 

 biting. We finally reached Pointe Bleu-:- 

 where, fortunately, we found the Undine 

 to take us back to Roberval. We were 

 glad to board the steamer, tor the tr ; p 

 across the lake, from the mouth of the 

 Mistassini to the point, was very rough. 

 The wind blew a gale and we shipped con- 

 siderable water, so that most of the time 

 I was sitting on a piece of the lake. We 

 reached Roberval at dusk, delighted with 

 the trip and sorry it was at an end. 





