Lake Umbagog.
1896
Aug. 24
  A beautiful day, clear, rather warm, but with a fresh, dry
north-west wind that did away at sunset.
  I spent the morning in my room, writing, but in the
afternoon sailed over to Upton - a glorious sail for the
little canoe under the influence of the strong breeze skimmed
over the water almost as lightly & swiftly as a Swallow.
After spending the afternoon supervising the work on the
house boat I paddled back to Lakeside at sunset.
  Swallows were very scarce to-day. I doubt if I saw fifty
in all and most of these White-bellies. Still I am
by no means sure that the great flock has really gone for it
is by no means improbably that they change their feeding or
even roosting grounds from day to day, On the other hand,
however, it is high time for the Barn, Eave & Bank Swallows
to depart. I saw only one Martin, a young bird at the
Lake House. There were no young Eave Swallows in the nests on
the barn at the Lake House.
[margin]Swallows[/margin]
  On my arrival at the Lake this summer and for a week
or more afterwards Ducks, Herons, Eagles and Ospreys were
very numerous about the Cambridge River marshes. During this
period I did not hear the report of a single gun but about
ten days ago sportsmen began to arrive and the natives
to carry their guns. Since this time there has been a constant
fusilade. Most of the shots have been fired from rifles and
I doubt if a single Duck or Heron has been killed while I
have heard of the death of only one Eagle. But the firing has
driven practically all the large birds to more remote & quiet
places. I saw only one Duck (a Whistler) & but two or three Eagles, Herons,
& Ospreys to-day.