246
Lake Umbagog.
1897.
Sept. 13
  Clear with S. wind through forenoon changing to W.
soon after dinner. Several black clouds charged with wind
and rain came from the W. towards evening but only one
- of which more presently - passed over the Lake.
  I spent the afternoon about camp writing etc. In the
afternoon Purdie and I went out in the sailing canoes.
The wind was light at first & we spent upwards of an
hour in boating across to the Outlet when we heard a
Pileated Woodpecker shouting. These birds appear to 
be very scarce here this autumn.
[margin]Sailing on
the Lake[/margin]
[margin]Pileated W.[/margin]
  At evening we all went across the Lake taking three 
boats. I had the old gray canoe in which I made
Moose Point in two tacks. I then paddled to
Richardson's Carry passing Spelman who had stopped
near the eastern end of Leonard's Island.
[margin]Outlet Marshes[/margin]
  Near where I ran my canoe into a bed of reeds only
the tops of which projected above the water was a
Muskrat house submerged to within a few inches of its
summit. A muskrat was sitting on it and two others
where floating quietly side by side a few yards off.
I fancied they were holding a consultation as to whether
or no it was worth while to build their house
higher. (If so they decided the question in the affirmative
for two days later the top of the house was more
than a foot out of the water although the Lake had
risen several inches in the interim.)
[margin]*Muskrats[/margin]
  Four Black Ducks passed over them on our side, the
fourth on the other but none of them came 
within range. I heard others quacking in the
[margin]Black Ducks[/margin]