TO PRESENT LAKE WITHOUT GUIDES 



57 



It was suggested, that in order to gain Ihe subjecl of bread and butter cam< 



time, we shoot some oi the rapids on the up, and the thoughl oi getting ii thi 



way home. The first one run proved too night seemed to pul new life into u 



much for our canoe, a hole being put Beans had been served tip so regularlj 



through her bottom. A two-hour delay that they fairly stuck oul oi "in - 



in repairing failed to compensate for The old canoe was fairly running awa 



time saved in carrying around. Rain A (dear track appeared on the map. 



overtook us at the head waters of Win- Listen! Could it be falls we heard 



digo Lake. Here we were stormbound ahead. The oft-familiar sound grew 



a whole daw This proved a blessing plainer. Sure enough! The real ar 



later on, since it raised the Blanche ticle was there. Our canoe was pointed 



AN INDIAN HOUSEHOLD 



River sufficiently to permit the steam- 

 boat "Geisha" to make Tomstown the 

 first time in over a week. From Win- 

 digo Lake we decided to avoid the 

 cross-country road by following the 

 river. The^e were three portages, the 

 first one £rc„. Windigo, being one and 

 one-half miles ; the other two rather 

 short. We had disposed of some bag- 

 gage by sending it across the bush, but 

 enough was left behind to cause three 

 trips each. It took one-half day to make 

 first portage. At sundown we met an 

 Indian paddling up. He told us we 

 were within three miles of Tomstown. 

 All hands were getting tired. Again 



for the left bank. The current was 

 fast getting stronger, and the night 

 growing darker. We had made a mis- 

 take. Our portage was on the right. 

 Pushing away from the bank the cur- 

 rent caught the canoe's stern and begun 

 to carry us toward destruction. None 

 of us had ever before been in such a 

 predicament. We were now six feet 

 from going over when the canoe swung 

 straight with the stream. Man astern 

 yelled ahead. For thirty seconds we 

 stood still ; then, slowly gaining, our 

 victory had been won. 



As our party sat by the camp-fire 

 opposite Tomstown that night eating 



