514 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[JULT 16, 1891. 



ON THE NORTH SHORE.— XI. 



IGontimml from Page SOO,} 



A CANOE containing a woman and three children, en 

 route to Michiiiecoton, touched at the island while 

 we were feasting. Joe, who knew them, met them on the 

 beach and had quite a chat with the party. On his return 

 to us, he said the woman was one of the wives of a noted 

 medicine man who was cruel and wicked, and who had 

 mercilessly killed those who offended him. On inquiry 

 as to how lie killed them he said : 

 "By witchcraft." 

 "To thin, Joe," I replied. 

 "You laiigh. but he kill you." 

 "How?" 



"Why he get a berry and put it in yott, if you are fifty 



miles away." 



"A sort of traveling berry, is it not?" . 



"lie put it in you anyhow." 



"What then?" 



"It kill you." 



"Mere baby talk." 



"He dead now." 



"I feel relieved." 



"His boy just like him. I saw him make little wig- 

 waui shake." * 



On the low blulfs we noticed an humble cabin or two 

 that nestled in a landscape of gentle and inspiring 

 beauty, which, lighted up by the lake, never tires, never 

 becomes commonplace. 



"JHeic hills and vales, tbe woodland and the plain, 

 Here, eai ili and water seem to strive again." 



Lunch over, we sunbasked on the boat, and going two 

 miles reached Maimalnse proper, the fishing station of 

 the Raisaines brothers. Here we found Mr. Turner and 

 his party, who reported that they had had no fishing at 

 all, only catching a few fiugerllngs. I was astonished 

 that they had not sought other grounds, but the veteran 

 said his "cautious friend" had become discontented, and 

 was awaiting the arrival of the tug to return home. We 

 knew what a disappointment this was to Mr. Turner, 

 who was an accomplished angler from way back, and 

 who had fished all the choice watprs in the States. 



He stated that he had set his heart on this trip, and 

 had been to the trouble and expense of going to New 

 York and purchasing for $1,000 the naphtha launch ex- 

 pressly for this outing. As he told his disappointments 

 my heart went out to the old gentleman, who I well 

 knew would rather catch a trout than eat. AVhen we 

 told him the magnificent sport we had enjoyed with the 

 spangled beauties since we left him, the tears stood in 

 bis eyes, and I have no doubt he bewailed the unfortunate 

 fate of being caught in company with a "tenderfoot," 

 who would neither fish nor cut bait. We tarried but a 

 few moments here, and then left to go into camp two 

 miles below, We found good quarters on an elevated 

 plateau overlooking the lake. Ned being eager for a 

 trout soon had his rod ready and went along the rocks, 

 sending his flies into every available spot he thought con- 

 tained the quarry, I sat in my camp chair and had a 



*L had heard so njuch talk relative to the wigwan shaking busi- 

 ness, during my two trips on this coast, that I determined to io- 

 vestigate the matter by a research in Indian lore on my return, 

 and subioiued is what I found concerning it in a work called 

 "Kitche Q-ami," by J. G. Kohl, 1880: 



"The Indians havefor a lengthed period been great spiritualists, 

 ghost-seers, table-rappers, and, perhaps too, magneti/.ers, which 

 we have only recently become, or returned to. The lodge which 

 then .Tossakids, or prophets, or, as the Canadians term them, 

 'jongleurs,' erect for their incantations, is composed of stout 

 posts connected with basket-work and covered with biroU bark. 

 It is tall and narrow, and resembles a chimney. It is very firmly 

 built, and two men, even if exerting their utmost strength, would 

 be unable to move, shake or bend it. It Is so narrow that a raan 

 who crawls in has but scanty space to move about, in it." 



Ned said he had camped bore on one of his trips some years ago, 

 and had magniticeTit gjjort around the islands and along the shore. 

 As it was close to Mamaineo and trout brnughtlS cents perpjund. 

 lie was satisfied it bad been pretty well fished out by Indians and 

 half-breeds. At one time there was a large fishery at this harbor, 

 but presumed it so depleted the lake in its immediate neighbor- 

 hood, that it iiad either to go elsewhere for its profitable harvests 

 or abandon the business, 



"Thirty years ago," a gentleman told me who had I'ved much 

 among the Indians and was even related to them throtigh his 

 wife, "I was present at the Incantation and performance of the 

 Jossakid in one of these lodges. I ?aw the man creep into the 

 hut, which was about ten feet high, after swallowing a mysterious 

 potion made from a, root. He immediately began singing and 

 beating the drum in his basket-work chimney. The entire case 

 began gradually trembling and shaking and oscillating slowly 

 amid great noise. The moretlie necromancer sang and drummed, 

 the more violent the oscillations of the long case became. It bent 

 back and forward, up and down, like the mast of a vessel caught 

 in a storm and tossed on the waves. I could not understand how 

 these movements could he produced by a man inside, as we could 

 not have caused them from the exterior. 



"The drums erased, and the Jossakid yelled that 'the spirits 

 were coming over him.' We then heard through the noise, and 

 cracking, and oscillation of the hut, two voices speaking inside, 

 one above, the other below. The lower one asked questions, which 

 the upper one answered. 



"Both voices seemed entirely different, and I believed I could 

 explain them by very clever ventriloquism. Some spiritualists 

 among us, however, explained it through modern spiritualism, and 

 explained that the Indian Jossakids had speaking media, in addi- 

 tion to those known to us, which tapped, wrote and di'ew. 



"I cannot remember the questions asked and answers given, 

 still much of the affair seemed to me strange, and when an oppor- 

 tunity offered, long alter, to ask the Jossakid about Iris behavior 

 on that occasion, under circumstances peculiarly favorable to the 

 truth, I did so. Thirty years later he had become an old man and 

 a Christian, and was lying on his death bed, when accident again 

 brought me to his side. 



" 'Uncle,' I said to him, recalling that circumstance, and having 

 nothing else to talk about, 'uncle, dost thou remember prophesy- 

 ing to us in thy lodge thirty years ago, and astonishing us, not 

 only by thy discourse, but also by the movement of thy prophet 

 lodge? I was curious to know how it was done, and thou saidst 

 that ihoti tuidst performed it by supernatural power, through the 

 spii'its. Now thou art old and hast become a Christain, thou art 

 sick and canst not live much longer. Now is the time lo confess 

 all truthfully. Tell me, then, how and through what means thou 

 didsi; deceive us?' 



" '1 know it, my Uncle,' ray sick Indian replied. 'I have become 

 a Christian, I am old, I am sick, I cannot live much longer, and I 

 can do no other than speak the truth. Believe me, I did not 

 deceive you at that time. I did not move the lodge. It was shaken 

 by tbe powder of the spirits. Nor did I speak with a double tongue. 

 I only repeated to you what the spirits said to me. I heard their 

 voices. The top of the lodge was full of them, and before me the 

 sky and wide lands lay expanded. I could see a great distance 

 around me, and I believe I coulri recognize the most distant ob- 

 jects.' The old dying .Jossakid said this with such an expression 

 of simple truth and firm conviction that it seemed to me, at least, 

 that he did not consider himself a deceiver, and belifved in the 

 efficacy of his magic arts and the reality of bis visions." 



This is the entire story, and you must draw your own concln- 

 Bions, as I will not attempt its revelation, though I asstu-e you this 

 wigwam-shaking byaifl,e8a js 0. big card with the Indians on Lake 

 Buperior. 



fine view of the ardent angler as he threaded his way 

 along the flinty rocks in the white splendor of the sunset. 

 With his snowy hair falling o'er his broad shoulders, his 

 whiter beard, purity itself, tossing in the breeze, and his 

 bronzed and rugged features lit with the earnest anima- 

 tion of his pastime, he presented a pleasing picture, a 

 facsimile as it were of the true disciple of the gentle art. 

 With what delightful skill he lifts his flies from the sur- 

 face, and then again sends them with unerring aim and 

 feathery lightness to the rippling waters. Hope is in 

 every cast, and though the reward comes not, he never 

 loses heart, never tires, but industriously tramps along 

 over the rocky surface, still ex]3ectant with every cast, 

 still as ardent as ever, still true to the art he so dearly 

 loves. I looked and looked at the persevering angler, 

 watching each cast with eager interest, in hopes of see- 

 ing some tigerish trout break the water, but the realiza- 

 tion came not, foi* Ned was compelled to retire from the 

 contest without a trophy. 



■'They are not here," he says, as he joined me, and so 

 it seemed. They had either left for their spawning 

 grounds in the rivers or they had fallen a victim to the 

 rapacity of the copper-colored natives, to the premium of 

 18 cents per pound- 

 That night we had a terrific blow, and when we awoke 

 in the morning discovered that the front end of the tent 

 had succumbed to the windy element and was fiercely 

 flapping on the ground. The boatmen were called and 

 soon had the tent once more in position. 



We had concluded that morning to wait for the tug 

 and take passage on her for the "Soo," and thus conclude 

 our trip. Joe desired us to secure some ice at Maimainse 

 and then go into Maple Bay for another week's angle, but 

 as he declared for home in one of his tantrums we de- 

 termined that should be our destination , and for once the 

 surly half-breed was defeated at his own spiteftil game. 

 It was a bitter disappointmejit to him, as he wished the 

 total value of his wages to be further increased. If Joe 

 could only divest himself of his imperious, surly and 

 aggravating disposition he would be one of the best boat- 

 men on the lake ; but these disagreeable qualities are so 

 innate with him that they will never be eradicated. They 

 mav slumber for a while but are sure to develop on some 

 trifling occasion. 



About 10 o'clock that morning, growing weary of wait- 

 ing for the tug, we concluded to break camp and go to 

 Mamainse and there await her, thinking it very probable 

 that in a severe blow she would not stop for us. Looking 

 around for our half-breeds, to give orders for breaking 

 camp, they were nowhere to be seen. We then thought 

 they had gone to Mamainse and so we had to content our- 

 seves till they put in an appearance. This absence so ex- 

 cited our ire that we heaped all the anathemas we could 

 invent ujion their heads. Ned said it would be the 

 pleasure of his life if he could only bring the tortures of 

 an inquisition upon the vagabondizing lot. 1 was equally 

 as vindictive, and just then would liked to have had 

 them over a ton of nitro-glycerine with the battery in 

 hand. 



As we arose from our seats and started for the beach, 

 lo, and behold! there were the dusky twain in question, 

 serenely lying under a rocky blufl: not ten feet away. 

 They had doubtless hid themselves in the wood and then 

 sneaked under the bluff. They evidently ascertained our 

 candid opinion of them. The situation strtick me as 

 being so ridiculous that a smile of undue proportions 

 broadened o'er my face. Ned, not taking the situation in 

 its humorous phase, ordered them at once to get ready for 

 Maimainse. doe demurred, saying the sea was rather 

 boisterous for the trip; but as Ned and I concluded to walk 

 over, thus lightening the boat, they at once began prepa- 

 rations for their departtire. 



Our roitte to Maimainse ran over hills and vales of 

 dark rock, slashed and notched as if by the axe of an in- 

 furiated giant; by great masses of splintered granite in 

 the most eccentric confusion, and through dense thickets 

 of scrub spruces and junipers, and over a large quantity 

 of decaying timber. Ned perspired freely as he clambered 

 along the adamantine rotite, and several times called a 

 halt; but my impetuosity carried me on, and being in the 

 lead several times got off the beaten track, but through 

 Ned's superior knowledge of wood lore recovered it soon 

 after. Our improvised alpine staffs were of great ser- 

 vice to us through this rugged route. We brought up at 

 a ladder some twenty feet high, and descending this were 

 in Maimainse; and seeing the camp of the Turner party 

 close by, gave an Arab yell that awaked the quiet party 

 that were just then having a quiet little game of poker 

 on a twenty-five cent limit. On going in we were given 

 a warm reception and invited to participate in the fascin- 

 ating pastime, but seeing that we could not soon become 

 millionau'es in such a small game, declined. Tm'ner, it 

 appears, had a bushel of checks on his side, and was raj)- 

 idly cleaning the party out of their small change. 



Ned, who had been on the lookout for our boat, re- 

 ])orted that she was rounding into the dock through a 

 very heavy sea, and Joe, when he joined us, said the 

 waves ran "damn high," an emphatic way he had of ex- 

 pressing himself on all important events. 



At dinner time the poker game was discontinued and 

 not again resumed, as every one began preparations for 

 the departure on the tug which was momentarily looked 

 for. The veteran publisher once more related his tale of 

 woe and disappointment, declaring that when he again 

 selected a partner for trouting, he would assuredly ascer- 

 tain before starting if he were of the tenderfoot genus or 

 not. T must admit, however, that I was somewhat 

 pleased with Mr. Turner's partner, as he appeared to be 

 quite an affable and culttxred gentleman; but, as he ex- 



Eressed it, had not only become discontented with Lake 

 uperior trouting, but had no confidence whatever in the 

 naphtha launch for such waters where sudden axid 

 dangerous gales are of frequent occurrence. 



Mr. Turner, I will here state, on his return home, pub- 

 lished a very readable and instructive account in his 

 paper of the trip with his launch. He stated that he had 

 made a voyage of about fifteen hundred miles with the 

 little boat, returning by way of Lake Huron, Michigan 

 and Grand River, making the entire trip without the 

 slightest manipulation of the machinery, except at start 

 and finish. We take the following extract from the ac- 

 count: 



"On the whole, the naphtha launch is 'a thing of 

 beauty' both in model and equipment, and can be im- 

 l^licitly relied upon, with ordinary care and slight atten- 

 tion, to do its work, both in speed and seaworthiness— 

 in which latter respect it certainly excels, by reason of 



its light weight and consequent buoyancy, any other 

 power boat yet afloat; while its speed is fully up to the 

 promises of its builders, from seven to ten miles per hour, 

 according to size, varying from 18 to 50 tt. in length, em- 

 ploying motors of from two to eighteen horse power." 



Since dinner a decided change of the weather had taken 

 place. Sombre clouds from the far west were striding 

 across the blue vault with a swiftness that drove the fleecy 

 folds from the azure field. About 2 o'clock a slight 

 sprinkle set in as an introductory, and then it began to 

 rain in earnest. We stood around under shelter and 

 speculated as to its continuance, and the non-appearance 

 of the long-looked-for steam tug Annie Clarke. In a few 

 minutes the rain cleared, but a misty drizzle continued 

 that was far from being pleasant. Some one proposed a 

 game of whist, under shelter of a shed on the shore end 

 of the pier, but as there were only three whist players 

 in the party, Ned, to make the game, agreed to play a 

 dummy hand, and so at the scientific game we went. The 

 first game was never finished, for it began to rain again 

 so hard that the roof, not being waterjjroof , leaked like a 

 sprinkling pot, which at once put a stop to the card 

 playing. 



A Jesuit priest, Father Chinborn, was also here await- 

 ing the arrival of the steamer. He informed me that his 

 circuit extended from Sailor's Encampment on St. Mary's 

 River to Michipecoton, and that he frequently voyaged 

 by sailboat when the lake was open, and on dog-sledges 

 and snowshoes in the winter. I have heard much of the 

 pious courage, patience and self-devoting zeal of these 

 missionaries on Lake Superior. They are well educated 

 and learned men, many better educated indeed, than the 

 majority, and yet they resign not only all enjoyment and 

 comforts, but also all the mental inspiration and excite- 

 ment of polished society. They live isolated and scat- 

 tered in little log huts round the lake, often no better off 

 than the natives. Only the thought of the great Uni- 

 versal Church to which they belong keeps them con- 

 nected with society and the world. 



Chateaubriand has described in a most attractive and 

 pathetic manner, the labors and perils which the old mis- 

 sionaries patiently endured in these wild cottntries, that 

 they might cultivate a garden of the Church. The good 

 father conversed with me quite a while, and in a very in- 

 teresting manner, telling me what crude minds he had to 

 deal Avith, and what simple methods he introduced to 

 make them fully understand his teachings. Father Chin- 

 born is, as to looks, of French origin, and I presume 

 about fifty year of age; of attentiatedfonvi and an expres- 

 sive face which plainly indicates the marki of hardships 

 he has endured in his missionary work. 



Some one now^ discovered a tug tossing and rolling 

 some distance on the lake, and then there was manifest 

 interest to ascertain if it was the lonp-looked-for tug 

 Annie Clarke. It was nearly an hour before she could be 

 recognized, and then the camp was broken in a hurry and 

 preparations made for the departure. The rain had again 

 ceased, but still left a dirty little drizzle. When tlie tug 

 landed there was hurrying to and fro of the crew, who 

 busied themselves taking oft' some of the barrels of salted 

 fish with which she was so heavily laden. A cautious 

 person who was on the dock, waiting passage, stepped up 

 to the captain, who was just then wrestling with a bar- 

 rel, and remarked: 

 "Captain, I am glad to see you lightening the boat." 

 "Lighten her? I am just putting this freight forward 

 so I can take on those fish cans," pointing to some near 

 by that weighed a couple of tons each. 

 "Oh, is that it?" 



"Yes, the Annie Clarke cleans up all freight as she 

 heads for port." 



Mr. Turner, who was standing near by, a quiet observer 

 of what was passing, said : 



"That settles it, I don't go on that boat." 

 Neither did he, for he remained and had his tent put 

 up again, determined to await propitious weather and 

 then return in his naphtha launch — llie Eagle. 



The captain, who had been approached a couple of 

 times relative to taking ])assengers, and had given no 

 positive answer, now that he had time, the freight being 

 all aboard, told the anxious parties that he would take 

 them all, including theu" boats, but that he could not pro- 

 vide them with meals. As he was to run into Bachewa- 

 naung Bay that evening and remain till morning, it 

 would give us an opportunity to provide our own meals. 



The little tug had a cargo of two hundred barrels salted 

 fish, six cases of fresh fish in ice, three small boats in the 

 bow, three towing at the stern and about twenty passen- 

 gers besides the crew. She was evidently loaded to her 

 full capacity, and yet had to take additional freight at 

 Bachewanaung Bay. This was all right in fau- weather, 

 but in a heavy blow the situation was really one of hazard. 



The seamen of the north shore are so familiar with 

 danger that they have a supreme contempt for it, and 

 never seem to realize the situation unless it is from the 

 bottom of an upturned boat. They are as bold and hardy 

 as the Norsemen of old, and as generous and hospitable as 

 they are daring. 



The captain stated that he had started early that morn- 

 ing from the Lizard, but the see was so high from a pre- 

 vailing gale, after he had left the islands, that he was 

 compelled to return and await a lulling of the storm. 



The final whistle from the little tug prompted us all to 

 get aboard, and there we spread ourselves for comfort as 

 best we could, some taking to the fish barrels and others 

 to the 6x8ft. of space that alone remained in the center 

 of the stern. I was fortunate in getting a seat on a 

 couple of stanchions that stood abotit three feet above the 

 deck, and that ran alongside the small cabin. Sev- 

 eral sat on the cabin deck with their legs dangling down, 

 and those who had taken to the fish barrels tried to find 

 comfort by sitting on the upturned heads; but the drizzle 

 soon made their seats quite moist, and so they stood 

 around wherever there was an inch or two of space. 



Alex. Stabbuck. 



Graphite Paint.— Ordinary paint when exposed to the westher 

 lasts from two to five years, but Graphitp paint, it is claimed, 

 withstands the elements for ten or fit teen. Well known people who 

 have tised Dixon's Graphite Paint, made by the .Jos. Dixon Cruci- 

 ble Co., of Jersey City, N. J., state that this paint is not only dur- 

 able but handsome, and suited for all outside metal work where 

 a dark paint can he used.— .^'Irii). 



Sunday TRAti^i to Momknce. -The Chicago it Eastern Illinois 

 Railroad placed in service June 1-i a Sunday train between Chicago 

 and Mooience, leaving Chicago at 8:33 A. M., and returning leftva 

 Momence at 8:15 P. M., thus affording anglers a tine opportunity 

 to spend a day on the Kankakee River.— .ddr. 



