AUG}. 13, ISDl.j 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



6^ 



up from Grand Portage. "We also know that between 

 Duluth and Grand Portage there is no better trout 

 stream. 



The only house on Grand Portage Island is one inhab- 

 ited by three fishermen. The boss is called Peter, the 

 other two Martin and John. They fish for the Booth 

 Packing Co., getting for lake trout Slots, per lb. fresh, 3^ 

 t-alt, and 4cts. for whitefish. We were made very wel- 

 come here, both by men and dogs, of which latter eight 

 came down on the pier and eat in a row to see us land. 

 Joseph, Peter, Martin and John all united in saying that 

 Isle Eoyal was the place to go for trout, and that AVash- 

 ington and Grace harbors were the particidar places 

 wh^re trotit abound. After Fupper we went to bed assured 

 that between midnight and morning the steamer would 

 be in for us. We also learned that Tunnelled Rock by our 

 last camp was a famous trout place, and so were the ledges 

 all about there. Peter said: "On warm, still summer 

 days the tunnel is full of them. Some day I'm going to 

 put a net across one end, and go to the other end with a 

 lone: pole and drive them out into the net and get a boat 

 load at once." May that day be long deferred was and 

 is our earnest wish. We went to bed early assured that 

 we would be called in time. A light was also set out to 

 call the steamer in. I awoke at broad daylight, found 

 Stephens awake and no steamer. She had passed in the 

 night not lieeding the signal, and we were left. No Isle 

 Royal for us, as we must be homo by Saturday night. 



How bitter our disappointment only those who have 

 been in similar positions can tell. The" fishermen sympa- 

 thized with us, Peter placed a boat at om- disposal and 

 told us we had better go to the Pigeon River Falls, as 

 they were well worth seeing. He, however, contradicted 

 Joseph by saying there were no trout in Pigeon River, 

 and another fisherman named Paul, who came over from 

 the mainland, said there were n i trout there. What 

 should we do? Go to the falls or go up to Tunneled Rock 

 and try for trout there? We decided to go for the rock 

 and the trout; so started out, ro^ ed about a mile when 

 we saw a steamer headed toward the bay as we thought. 

 " 'Tis the Dixon behind time," was our cry. We hur- 

 riedly returned, packed our dunnage into the boat, and 

 were ready to board the boat. But, alas! no boat came, 

 no whistle soujided. 'Twas a big "Canada boat," as they 

 call them on the North Shore, and sbe steamed majesti- 

 cally by about five miles out. Back to shore we went, 

 and' decided to ask Peter when he came in from his nets, 

 which he and the rest had gone right after breakfast, if 

 he would not take us over to Isle Royal. The hooks and 

 nets are set ont from three to six miles from shore. The 

 hooks are baited with herring, are attached to a heavy 

 line, and are usually down about three fathoms in the 

 water. . Some of the lines of hooks are a mile or more in 

 length. 



When Peter returned, and was asked if he would go, 

 he promptly refused, as "the wind was dead ahead;" but 

 he added, "It may change after dinner and if it does I'll 

 go." About 3 P.M., after various flurries, the wind did 

 change and we were soon ofi:', Peter taking John along. 

 We went in Peter's Mackinac sailboat. The wind soon 

 died away and recourse was had to the oars. Presently a 

 spurt of wind came, followed in a little while by a calm, 

 and thus it continued the entire trip. Night drew on. 

 The outlying rocks called Rock of Ages was finally 

 jjassed. Away to the northwest gleamed a beacon light 

 on some point in Thunder Bay, Nearer came the wooded 

 shores of Isle Royal. The darkness grew more dark. We 

 passed an island and rounded into a bay. It was not 

 Washington Harbor. An exceedingly animated discus- 

 sion now took place between Peter and his mate. Finally 

 the conclusion was reached that we were in Grace Har- 

 bor, but a few minutes more would put us in Washington 

 Harbor and at the fishing station. We soon rounded 

 another point, the barking of dogs rent the air, A few 

 minutes later we lay to alongside a rude wharf, on which 

 we unloaded our dunnage: then went to a fishing shanty 

 near by and aroused the inmate, a young man named 

 Walter, who, very scantily clad, bid us welcome and pro- 

 ceeded to prepare a lunch of bread and butter and tea. 

 Stephens and I spread our blankets on the floor and were 

 soon sound asleep, from which we did not awake until 

 Peter and the others arose and began to prepare for the 

 return to Grand Portage. There was a brisk breeze and 

 they had a fine sail home, as we learned afterward. 



We procured a boat and went up Washington Harbor 

 about a mile and pitched our tent on a high point between 

 Washington and Grace harbors. Only a few steps either 

 way and we were in which harbor we chose. After 

 breakfast we got our tackle ready and started for a 

 stream which came in at the top of Grace Harbor, and 

 which was reported to be full of trout. 



We found the stream without trouble. Just as we 

 commenced to cast it commenced to rain. The trout 

 were not there, but the rain was in good earnest, and the 

 wind began to sough and sigh among the trees in a way 

 that boded no good for us. I went up the stream a ways 

 and returned wet through. I found Stephens sitting on 

 a box under a tree looking gloomy enough, "I was never 

 so discouraged in my life," he said. The rain came down 

 harder and we started for camp feeling pretty blue. 

 Had we taken this long trip only to be beaten at last; 

 for we knew if the rain continued long there would be 

 no trout fishing for us. Arrived at camp, we proceeded 

 to make everything snug and comfortable. After dinner 

 the rain stopped for a time, and we proceeded to undo 

 the Acme preparatory to a trip to the head of Washing- 

 ton Harbor to try a river which came in there. But the 

 rain commenced so hard that we had to leave the boat 

 half set up and seek the shelter of the tent, where we re- 

 mained until nearly night, solacing ourselves with the 

 latest Scrihner, Howell's "Hazzard of New Fortunes," 

 Nessmuk's "Woodcraft" and the Book of Books. The life 

 of the Master of the Waters never seems eo grand to me 

 as when read by the water's side amid the enveloping 

 woods. 



Just before supper time the rain ceased long enough for 

 us to set up the boat. Stephens took it and went to the 

 fishing station to find out about the weather, he said, 

 and get pointers about location ©f fish. I had supper 

 nearly ready when I heard his cheery and welcome hail 

 from the water. After sujjper the rain recommenced 

 and we went to bed and to sleep with it beating on the 

 tent. How comfortable and snug we were. If we could 

 only find the sun shining when we awoke. In the morn- 

 ing it was still raining, and the outlook was dismal 

 enough, Here we had come foiir hundred toilea, and the 

 prospect seemed goed, for m to stay in our tent, goon 



the rain ceased. "Let's go across the harbor and see 

 what we can find," said Stephens. "All right." 



So ofi' we went, and were scarcely a dozen rods from 

 shore when it commenced to snow. Could it be possible? 

 June 3 and a northeast snow storm upon us? Even so. 

 We reached the opposite shore, but only staid a few min- 

 utes, as the snow came down thicker and faster. We 

 hurried back to fix camp for a snow storm. We turned 

 the tent around, made all secure, built a great fire, and 

 prepared to endure as best we might what was before us. 

 How the snow did come down until afternoon. We read 

 our books, and the time passed quite swiftly. 



There was a little let up in the storm in the afternoon 

 and we went up to the fishing station. The men were 

 all busy preparing hooks and mending nets or making 

 new ones. We visited two of the hnuRes, one with a 

 sign over the door saying "City Hall." This was kept by 

 two young men, who made us very welcome. From 

 there we went to Capt. Johns's house, where we found 

 Mrs. Johns and four children, the only woman on that 

 end of the island ; had been on the island twelve years. 

 After a pleasant vinit here we returned to camp— Stormy 

 Camp we bad named it now. The clouds had still 

 further lightened, so after supper we went across to 

 Grace Hai bor to the stream again, but all in vain. There 

 was a brief spell of sunshine at sunset and our hopes 

 were high for the morrow. We went to bed early and 

 awoke to find the sun shining, grass and leaves frozen 

 stiff and everything white with frost and ice half an inch 

 thick in the wash basin. 



Nothing daunted we started up Washington Harbor for 

 the river at the top. The harbor is five miles long and so 

 narrow that it looks more like a river than a bay. At the 

 head of the harbor is the dock and settlement of the 

 Wendigo Copper Mining Company. Ac the dock was 

 their steamer, the W. B. Taylor and the little steam yacht 

 Louise, of Hancock. We went up the river about a mile, 

 but could get no rise to our temptations of various kinds. 

 Saw many suckers in the river. At length we gave up in 

 dispair, and returning to the harbor, left the boat and 

 went back a mile to one of the prospecting holes of the 

 Mining Company. A broad road has been made at great 

 expense and labor fi-om the harbor to the mine so-called. 

 We went into the tunnel which they are drifting in the 

 side of the hill, saw the drillers at work, examined the 

 indications, Stephens fired off a blast— then we returned 

 to the harbor, ate our dinner and rowed over to the dock. 

 Saw some men fishing from the dock. 



"After trout?" 



"Yes." 



"Do you find them?" 



"Not now, but before the storm caught lots of them 

 here, " 



We landed and made a few casts, and Stephens caught 

 a fine 13 inch trout; but that was all. We started for 

 camp, and on the way down the harbor Stephens caught 

 a fine lake trout on the troll. 



We prepared a grand dinner, read and chatted a while, 

 then to bed and to sleep. 'Twould be our last night on 

 the island. Stormy our experience and slight our suc- 

 cess. Yet we had put in the time pleasantly. We put 

 in the next forenoon in trolling around and exploring. 

 In the afternoon we packed up, bid farewell to "Stormy 

 Camp," and went over to the fishing station to wait for 

 the steamer. A large quantity of fish was ready to be 

 shipped. It had been a busy day with the fishermen. 

 On account of the storm they had not been able to visit 

 hooks or nets for three days; so their labor had been ex- 

 cessive the first fair day. We took a run into Grace Har- 

 bor while waiting and I hooked a large laker, but lost 

 him. 



Soon the whistle of the steamer was heard and we were 

 aboard. The captain ordered a lunch for us. While we 

 were eating the boat steamed out of Washington Harbor 

 and we were on our way to Duluth. At Grand Portage 

 an Indian brought some trout on board for the captain, 

 which he had caught in the lake, of which mention has 

 been made before. 



We did not sleep as well on the boat as in the tent, 

 there were too many stoppages, each heralded by three 

 long blasts of the whistle. At Baptism River, where 

 there is a club house and club of 45 members, two fisher- 

 men came aboard, members of the club. They had been 

 up all the week but had caught nothing, the storm hav- 

 ing stopped the fishing all along the shore. We came to 

 the conclusion that we were not the only ones whom the 

 storm had knocked out. We reached Duluth a little 

 ahead of time but were soon on the train, rolling west- 

 ward and planning how we can arrange it to take the 

 trip over again in July or August. Myeon Cooley. 



Detroit City, Minn. 



LEAVES FROM A NOTE-BOOK. 



HOW do I "kill time?" What do I find to do in this 

 lonely region, where there are no books and where 

 the mail arrives monthly, if not at less frequent inter- 

 val>? These and similar questions are put to me with 

 Buriwising regularity by eA^ery one whom I chance to 

 meet, by the sheepherder who cannot understand why a 

 fellow can gather weeds and take care of them as though 

 they were gold dollars, why I should prefer to write while 

 the rest of the boys are sleeping or playing "freeze-out" 

 for tobacco and knives; and to the more aristocratic 

 dwellers of the settlement, who reside in log huts instead 

 of under canvas, who live on bacon instead of on mut- 

 ton, venison, grouse and trout, whose world is bounded by 

 four narrow waUs instead by the fathomless blue, I am an 

 unsolved enigma. Now I can find plenty to do, and the 

 thought of "killing time" is as far from me as the thought 

 of committing suicide. So here go some of the leaves 

 from my note-book. 



July lb. — Up at dawn to catch the sunrise from the 

 peak just above camp. I take my botanical press, for I 

 believe I have found a new orchid, must also gather pur- 

 ple clematis and some of that giant larkspur. So much 

 for intentions. At the "tjed ground" I am arrested by 

 the sight of eight freshly killed sheep and lambs. An 

 examination of the surroundings shows the trail of an 

 old she bear with two cubs. To-night I will watch for 

 them. 



Observation 1,-—Bears, where they hare a choice, do not 

 kill wethers-Hsnly ewes and lambs, The lambs they de^ 



vour, but of the ewes they touch only the udder, evidently 

 being partial to the lacteal fluid in its natural receptacle. 



I climb higher and enter a dense pine grove. There is 

 a whirr before me and a female dusky grouse (.D. o&- 

 scurus, typical form I believe) with her half-groom brood 

 arises at my feet. The young soon disappear in the under- 

 brush. 



Observation 2. — The dusky grouse, when endeavoring 

 to protect her young, does not resort to the strategy of 

 the ruffed grouse, but flies boldly before the intruder, 

 alighting on branches over his head, even following him 

 to attract his attention and courting his shot until the 

 brood is far away. 



Well, I gather my flowers and come back to breakfast. 

 Along strolls Jack from a neighboring camp and wants 

 me to go fishing. He has gathered a supply of grasshop- 

 pers and I accompany him. Going down the meadow I 

 find the nest of a warbler (species unknown) in the grass. 



Observation 3.— Do birds have a prejudice against pines 

 and aspens as nesting places? Here are nests upon nests 

 of species that I know to be arboreal elsewhere, and all 

 are built upon the ground. In fact I have never found 

 so many nests containing eggs in any one season before. 



What is that buzzing? Ah! a fight? Two horse flies 

 are attacking a cicada, and they whirr arottnd just on a 

 level with my eyes. 



Observation 4.— Insects vary in their methods of at- 

 tack. The cicada carries on the warfare with its wings, 

 endeavoring to beat its opponents to death. The horse 

 flies rush in and try to bite. The vulnerable part of the 

 cicada is at the junction of thorax and abdomen. Two 

 minutes were sufficient to end the fracas, and the cicada, 

 much larger and apparently stronger than the combined 

 opposition , lay dead on the ground, while the flies are 

 gorging themselves upon their prey. 



At length we reach the creek. I have in a tin can some 

 live specimens of the diminutive fish called here bull- 

 heads. Now, in Mammoth, only 13 miles below, bull- 

 heads abound and they are the best bait imaginable. But 

 they are not found in this creek, and though every one of 

 the trout had come up from Mammoth, I did not get a 

 bite. 



Observation 5.- — Trout in this creek darker and with 

 fewer spots than I have before noticed. They, contrary 

 to the custom of other trout in this vicinity, do not lie in 

 the riffles or hide beneath overhanging banks, but are 

 found only at the bottoms of the deepest pools beneath 

 the most dense shade. Trout know the food natural to 

 the waters in which they are, and will refuse any other 

 nourishment no matter how tempting. 



However, I was not discouraged, but tried to allure the 

 shy brown backs with a brown-hackle. This, too, was 

 ineffectual. I finally secured a dozen beauties with a 

 silver-doctor, which, according to the time of day and 

 the state of the water, was not according to Hoyle, Pole 

 or Cavendish. 



From a rocky point just before us arose a female mal- 

 lard. We wetiit to the spot and found a nest containing 

 seven eggs. It was nothing but a bed of feathers plucked 

 from the duck's breast and placed upon bare, grassless, 

 shru bless stone. Jock broke one of the eggs, and I saw 

 that it was at least two weeks old. Such a place for a 

 nest was most singular. The water below was a roaring 

 torrent, where a duck could not swim, eo it was absolutely 

 impossible that there the ducklings should learn to enjoy 

 their natttral element. 



Observation 6. — At 'the period of incubation ducks 

 make their nests whenever the desire to deposit the first 

 egg comes upon them. If they have neglected to pro- 

 vide a suitable retreat, it is too late to mend matters. 



Since then I have passed and repassed the spot and 

 have seen the eggs handled frequently, but for all that 

 Madame Duck does not desert her rocky home. , 



Jock suggests that I go to his camp, three miles dis- 

 tant, .for dinner. On the way we cross an immense 

 marshy flat, and in the middle of this is a beautiful 

 spring, some 8yds. in diameter. The water is fairly blue, 

 icy cold, and no bottom can be seen at the center, but 

 about the edge, where the water is from 1 to 10ft. deep, 

 are massive rocks that are fantastically draped with 

 aquatic mosses and alg^ so that it seems like looking 

 down into fairyland. The waters of this spring run for 

 a quarter of a mile and then sink to reappear a mile 

 away, bursting into the creek from crevices in the vol- 

 canic rock. The swamp is a great breeding place for 

 teal, and three or four ducks with their young broods are 

 swimming in the miniature lake. As we burst upon the 

 scene one duck flies off, but the rest stay to conceal their 

 young. How do they do it? Bring them in to shallow 

 water, where they can rest upon the bottom and stick 

 their bills up through the moss. Then the old ones swim 

 out into deep water and resort to the same tactics. We 

 drive the ducklings from their place of concealment and 

 they swim out to their parents with half of their bodies 

 exposed. Though the moss is just as inviting they will 

 not hide where they cannot feel bottom and their mothers 

 bring them back to shore. 



Observation 7. — Young ducks can dive, but have not 

 the power of remaining beneath water for any length of 

 time until they can make a strong flight. The power of 

 remaining beneath the water is acquired by practice and 

 is not innate. 



We proceed with our walk and on a rocky mesa, more 

 than a mile from water, I find several large quaking 

 aspens gnawed off from 8 to 10ft. above the ground. The 

 work is the exact counterpart of that done by beaver, but 

 the trees are from 9 to 14in. in diameter. Too large and 

 too far from water for beaver. The limbs have been 

 gnawed away and all of the bark has been eaten off. 

 Among the wreckage lie the skeletons of five horses. 



Observation 8. — When compelled by dire necessity, 

 herbivorous animals may become fli'St-class rodents. 



I have since learned that winter before last five horses 

 were snowed in in this grove, where the snow falls 10ft. 

 deep and lasts from October until May. When their 

 owners came up in the spring they found the snow for a 

 limited circle about the grove packed for 3ft. as hard as 

 ice and the trees in the condition they are at present. 

 After getting all the nourishment possible from their 

 forced diet, the poor equines had starved to death. 



Now, these are notes from my book for zoology. I 

 have another devoted to botony and a third to XJte-ology, 

 if I may coin the word, and between the three I manage 

 to keep busy. Whether my observations, or rather my 

 surmises are correct or false I cannot tell without com- 

 paring notes, If I am wrong I want to be corrected, 

 Information is what I am after, and there are many 



