227
Lake Umbagog.
1897.
Sept. 7
  Another perfect day, dead calm most of the time
from morning to night, warm in the sun but not above
70 [degrees] in the shade, with the most delicious warm dry air.
The evening was cool the thermometer falling to 50 [degrees] by 9 P.M.
  Purdie arrived on the steamer this morning. As soon
as he disposed of his things we started out on the
Lake, he with Will in the big boat, I in the hunting
canoe. The Crocker party had been banging away on
Moose Point for an hour or more. They were just
leaving the marsh in their boats when we reached
it. They told us that they had killed two Greater
Yellow-legs, a Snipe, four Grass birds and a few Solitary Sandpipers.
[margin]Purdie 
joins me
in camp.[/margin]
[margin]Gr. Yellow legs, 
Snipe,
Pectorals
Solitary S.[/margin]
  Soon after they had departed and as we were sitting 
in our canoes talking a Sheldrake appeared near
the end of the point. It was quickly followed by
seven or eight others, all well-grown birds. They
evidently saw us for they at once turned back. As
soon as they were hidden behind a bed of grass I
paddled quickly in to the bank & raising my head
discovered them about 40 yds. off swimming directly
out into the Lake. As they were well bunched I
fired at once and gave them the second barrel
as they swam but to my surprise & disgust they
all went off apparently unharmed leaving, however,
a number of feathers on the water to show that
the shot had raked through them.
[margin]Gooseanders[/margin]
  We then kept on along the shore northward
starting two Great Blue Herons & seeing a brown
Marsh Hawk. In Wheeler's Back Creek I found
[margin]Herons
Marsh Hawk[/margin]