FOREST AND STREAM. 



tJAK.. 19, 1898. 



ON THE NORTH SHORE.- II. 



The Trip Up.-Il. 



[Continued, from page 32.] 



The dawn disclosed the pink of the coming sun, swiftly 

 growing in glory among the suoAvy clouds in the east, and 

 a favorable breeze that would race us along Avith delight- 

 ful speed to Gros Cap. An early breakfast was soon par- 

 taken of. and then all hiinds busied themselves in breaking- 

 camp. Everything was qriifkly j)ut aboard, and that tat.- 

 tered old rag of a sail A^ as again exhibited to the beauties 

 of nature, as if it, too. wns s]iread for especial admiration, 

 Ned, Avho is generally -a [)arii gon of ]jatience, again stormed 

 at the boatmen foi- not having repaired it. A promise 

 that the next camj) woidd stsc it) in good condition satisfied 

 us, and then the subject Avas dropped. .Vs w^e, sailed out 

 of the bay into the river, Ave saAv the craft of the Ken- 

 tucky gentleman far in advance, with the 'Soo" pazty, 

 and the students a close second. We Avere laggards, and 

 it looked as if we Avould remain so, as the distance be- 

 tween us increased instead of diminished. We had, how- 

 ever, despite the sloAvness of our craft, a most delightful 

 sail and under the bluest and most transpaj-ent of skies. 

 -Here— 



"Nature had known no change, felt no decay, 

 For untold ages in this ancient land 

 Her dark woods wave, her rivers hold their way, 



Majestic as w hen first from nature's hand; 

 Down the dread depU is, as in the dawn of Time 

 The raging cataracts their water,s urge,'' 



Here is a region that vnl\ ever tempt the ardent angler, 

 for it is a place to meditate OA-er life's fitful change, as 

 weU as enjoy the pursuit of the ever beautiful trout. 



It AA-as eA'ident, as we progressed, that the Avind Avas on 

 the Avane, but as we only contemplated making Gros Cap. 

 it mattered not. Arrivuig there, by 9 o'clock, Ave were 

 quite surprised to see the three boats that Avere aliead of 

 lis ashore at the small island, with the entire party dotted 

 here and there around it. This determmed us to make for 

 Maple Bay, as eight anglers at one place was entirely too 

 many to afford good spoi-t. We Avanted more solitude, 

 and so sailed aAvay. As we passed the rear of the little 

 island, aa'^c noticed the Kentucky angler poised on the apex 

 of a high rock playing a good-sized trout: but, alas! it 

 escaped. He cried out to us, by Avay of explanation over 

 his nnfortimate loss, wliich seemed to fret hun, that it; had 

 got away Av-ith his fly. I thought when I saAv him hand- 

 ling the struggling trout, that it must be AveU hooked 

 indeed if it did not escape, for it struck me from my pomt 

 of obserA-ation that he gave him little or no play. Ned 

 said he aa'ouM Avager largely that Ins leader became untied, 

 for the knots that he saAV in one of them Avere decidedly 

 unreliable and likely to fail when the angler is striving to 

 save an impaled fish of undue proportions. 



About the time Ave reached Goulais Bay Point the wind 

 had entirely died out, and the bay presented an un- 

 wrinkled surface. It Avas 9 miles across, and with a 

 burning sun oA-erhead it was no child's play to cross OA-'er 

 Avith the oars. The boatmen, howev^er, cheerfully stripped 

 to the buff and took the blades in hand Avith a willing 

 heart. They perspired freely as they swung the hca^'y 

 oars, and but once or twice on the Avay over did tliej- stop 

 for a rest. Emery, as usual, kept his aa- eather eye o|)en 

 and scanned the blue dome for signs of an approaching 

 storm. He was disappointed in his observations, for tlie 

 azure sky contained nothing but a foAv pin- feathery clouds 

 that were Avithout apparent motion, Avlade the In ke was as 

 smooth as if oil had been poured OA^er it. No indication 

 of storm or even, of a gentle breeze, and so intensely liot 

 you'd imagine you were in the tropics. We all sighted Coi- 

 the shore and shade, but it was a long pull ovei (lie quii"! 

 bay and Avould be hours before they could Ix- realized. As 

 an expedient to AvhUe aAvay the time, as a\'(.>11 as endeavor 

 to catch a fin or two, Ned suggested a troll, and so ox'er- 

 board went the ghttertng spoon. It, howex er. recei\-ed 

 but one strike after a long Avait, and then a.s it was (jnite 

 a drag on the boat, I jjulled it in as a relief to tln! sturdy 

 oarsmen, who Avere already OA"ertasked. Time anil again 

 I told the men to rest, but Emery, casting his eyes aboA^e. 

 Av-as confident a storm was quietly brewing, and al'lcr a, 

 few rapid Avords in Chippewa to Peter, they bcnl. (u I heir 

 oars with increased vigor. Finally, when wiihin ahont a, 

 mile of shore they took a good rest, satishcd they w(>re 

 then out of all danger. A slight ripple now ran the 

 umailfled sm'face. and soon another and anothej' folio w^ed, 

 until in a short time had a refreshing bvcc/L'. and then 

 the little waA'es, bearing silvery and pearly streakings of 

 sunshine began to form, and the old rag was once more 

 hoisted and spread to the faA oring wind. It AA^as now 

 about three miles to our destination, Maple Bay— and that 

 we expected to make in an hour if the Avind " held. Our 

 course Av^as along a shore where the whole landscajje was 

 aglow Avith splendor; every tint and liue imaginable 

 seemed to intermingle in that sea of color, and every jut- 

 ting crag and dome and x>innacle of stdlen rock flamed as 

 though a thousand rainbows had fallen out of the sky and 

 hung themselves there like glorious banners. We stand 

 enthralled at the scene before us; no sound is hearrl, no 

 note of bu'd breaks the awful stillness. AVe are in the 

 region of eternal silence and sohtude. Spruce and birch 

 and balsam generously hired the wave-washed and iron- 

 bound coast, while the lichens, mosses and ferns, which 

 were here, there and eveiyAvhere, united in forming a 

 pictm-e which is like Keats's description of beauty, 

 "A noy forever. 

 For wheresoe'er I looked, the while, 

 AVas nature's everlasting smile." 



We noticed as Ave sailed along that the lake was about 

 eighteen inches lower than last year, for oA^^er the old 

 famdiar ground there was quite a change, and when we 

 rounded into Maple Bay we found it impossible to land 

 the boat, owing to the shalloAvness along the coast . The 

 boatmen advised carrying us ashore on their backs and 

 then take out the cargo of provdsions. This thej^ Avere 

 confident would lighten the boat srrfficiently to admit of 

 dragging it to a safe harbor. AVe accepted the proposi- 

 tion, and so Peter, Avho was the athlete, carried us both 

 ashore, and then the proAdsions were landed, a channel 

 dug out and the boat pulled tq the beach. Ned progiiqstir 

 cated aU manner of disaster to us in case Ave desired to 

 |e?|'V? or return to our haven during aq. ordinary or extra- 



ordinary blow. As coming events cast their shadoAvs be- 

 fore I adA-Lsed him to wait tdl it was favorable to fore- 

 shadoAA- the calamity, There being three of us forninst 

 him he subsided and his ill-boded prophecy shelved. 



The boatmen having rowed us about fourteen miles 

 that day aa^o concluded to pitch our tents and remain for 

 a feAv days and try our luck Avith the S. fontdnalis, and 

 also old Boreas sliordd he think proper to ride down on 

 us on one of his tempestuous "gales. It i-equiring some 

 time for ' 'the boys" to get everything in good order about 

 the camp. Ave conchtded to defer the attempt at luring 

 the scarlet-hued beauties till the following morning. 



Ned, Avho had a penchant .for overhauling tackle, took 

 an affectionate look at his impedimenta, and on coming 



am. ALEX. STAKBUCK. 

 Cnvier Club, C'inciuiiati. 



to his book of Mic^s eagerly o))ened it an<l prondly laid 

 before me for adnriration. as 1 thought, a H'w Hies of his 

 OAvn creation, whidi were in his favorite color — red. It 

 was the hue whicii so enthused him last season arid it 

 was to be the sarnt; this, nnl(>ss lie was cnred of the infat- 

 uation by the preference th<i trout might manifest for 

 mine, I had a very nice ^iclccrion that were tied per 

 order, and they were dandies I assure you, evidently the 

 work of an acconq)lishcd artist, .\moiig tlicse were the 

 Henshall. sih'er-i lector. Alc)ntreal. (■ow-dung. raven. si)ider. 

 royal-coachman, Heth-Gi'een, Ociuossoc, white-miller, red- 

 ibis, hackles gi-ay. black and b)-()wn, and a few others un- 

 necessary to nicntion, I had anothci' lot tied by an 

 Eastern house, hwl lliey wove not satisfactory and, conse- 

 quently, of little use. 

 During the tj-ip the'inost Mking (ly I had was the Heil- 



Ml?, V. B. ROACH ("NED"), 

 Cuvier Club, Cincinnati. 



shall, next came the silver-doctor, then the hackles. 

 There Avas one, howcA-er, the name of ^A'hicli I am unable 

 to giA'e. that had two white feathers, the same in gray 

 and a dun 'body, which ]>roved a very attractive lure, 

 indeed. I used it fre< juently tor .iriy droppei'. Ned highly 

 praised my selection and. wjien lie comj.»arctl the work 

 with his. admitted the superiorit.\- of mine, luit doubted if 

 they Avould pro\>^ more attractive than his (jwn. They 

 did^ neA-ertheless, ami li'; ma<ie due ackniiwledgment of 

 the same before we hail lieen a Aveek in canip. After he 

 had toyed sufficiently with Iiis tackle to satisfy his desire 

 he laid it tenderly aside and then challenged me to a I'ub- 

 ber of cribbage, in Avhich he came out second best. 



As evening came on a faint crescent moon looked doAvn 

 upon us. a gentle breeze cooled our broAvs, the odor of the 

 balsam diffused itself on all sides and then the ve.si)erian 

 hymn of the little insects warned us to hasten foi- the 

 repellant they so (h eaded Being somewhat weaiy with 

 the long continement in the boat during the day, under a 

 burning sun, we early sought our blankets arid soon fell 

 into the arms of Moi ijheus, 



On steppmg from oin- tent at early daAvii we were at 

 once made aAvare of a sli^lit spruikle of rain, aneastA\dnd 

 and a loAvering sky that inesaged anything but clear- 

 ing Aveather, Concluding to try for the trorit, rain 

 or shine, Ave got ready for the advance, but just be- 

 fore starting for the fishing grounds the'boat containing 

 the Ann Ai-bor students sailed into the bay and anchored 

 opposite our camp. The party did not make use of the 

 boatmen as pack lioi ses. but phmging m AA-aded ashore 

 like genuine sportsmen. They could Avell afford to do so 

 as they aE had t-op boots, Avhioh insured then) a dr^-- pas- 



sage. They had no sooner landed than one of the party 

 took his rod, and Avading out to a faA^orite rock. Avhere Ave 

 had always caught trout, commenced casting. He, how- 

 exev, Avhipped the waters in A-ain, for no trout rose to his 

 fluttering fly. Some one had evidently given him apointer 

 on that particuku- rock, but lie realized nothing from it, 

 leaving, doubtless, with a sad remembrance of "what might 

 have been." 



It having ceased raining, we now took the boat and 

 started for om- old grounds Avhere we had such unexaUi' 

 pled sport last season. AVe first tried the lock where the 

 student attempted to steal a march upon us, Init oiu; efforts 

 were in A^ain, I had a HenshaU for my dropper and a 

 silA'er-doctor for my sti'etcher, but neither seemed to at- 

 tract, no matter hoAv deftly throAvn and skilfully floated. 

 Tiring of this futile attempt, Ave Avent for the reef in our 

 immediate front, and on reaching some magnificent cover 

 I sent mj^ flies over a deep and darkened crevice that I 

 would have Avagered a kingdom contained one or more of 

 the freckled beauties, but they met with no response. 

 Lifting the lures from the waters I once more sent them 

 circling in the air, and then dropping them with the light- 

 ness of a snoAv flake or feather, just as you like, oA'er the 

 same spot, and still the surface remained unliroken, A 

 thhd and a fourth cast Avere as fiiutless as \vere many 

 more. Ned was casting in ecpially as promising Avaters 

 and he also failed to attract. It certainly looked ominous, 

 but Ave were not discouraged over the results, as the trout 

 is of varying moods, sometimes fierce for the fly, and 

 again lying dormant behind some conv^enient boulder or 

 in crcAdce deep. After a fuU hours steady casting over 

 the reef Ave tried the shore around Maple Bay. then Maple 

 Island, but not a rise did Ave receive. We were somewhat 

 disappointed to think that our favorite grounds did not 

 slioAA- a sign of the coveted trout. Two things Ave were 

 satisfied of, auz., either the trout were not here or Avere 

 not rising to the fly. We returned to camp witli anything 

 but an air of triumph, concluding, hoAvever, to remain 

 here a daj' or tAvo longer if for nothing more than to soh'e 

 the problem of the Avliereabouts of Mr. *S'. fontinalis and 

 the condition of his appetite. 



There Avas a slight sprinkle of rain in the afternoon, 

 and Avith promise of a stormy night it AA-as a cheerle.ss 

 evening wlien we sat doAvn to supper. The sky was o'er- 

 cast Avith dark inky clouds that AVhMed like chaff, the 

 wind moaned sad and cold, the waves )>roke si)itefully 

 against the ragged rocks, and all nature seemed prepar- 

 ing for an insurrection. It Avas reaUy a dismal outlook, 

 and it Avas manifest our plans Avould have to be held in 

 abej^ance. You can neA-er depend on the old icy lake or 

 tell from Avhich source to expect the wind, or Avhat the 

 coming morn will bring forth. It may be zephyr breezes 

 or tempestuous gales, bright sunshine or cliilly shade. 

 With all this adverse prospect we kept up a lirave Ijeart 

 and sat aroimd the camp-fire and made merry witl i clieery 

 song and animated story. Emery told a marvelous tale 

 of an isolated lake located in the dense forest of Canada, 

 where you could catch myriads of trout about an hoiu- 

 before sunset and at no other time. He was taken to it 

 by an old Indian hunter, but didn't think he could find it 

 again. I agreed with hiin as to the closing part of the 

 recital. 



After retiring there Avas a rumble or two of thunder, 

 then a few flashes of lightning, and in a short time a sub- 

 sidence of the elements, and then Ave went into the land 

 of Nod. Avhere 



"The unchecked thought 

 AVandei's at will upon unchanted groUntli 

 3Iaking no sound 

 In ail the corridors,"' 



The morning opened with a heavy northwest wind, a 

 leaden sky and a very boisterous sea, which sent the toAV- 

 ering waves o'er the shallows in our immediate front Avith 

 such terrific violence as to make it impossible to leave the 

 shore Avith the boat, and therefore the fishing was de- 

 ferred. 



The students paid us a visit during the morning, and 

 arranged for a ruijber of Avhist to take place as soon as 

 they had returned from an OA-erland trip to the mission at 

 Goulais Bay. It was more of an imdertaking than they 

 liad bargained for, as they did not return till after dinner. 

 On the Avay oA^er they shot a fcAv seasonable birds, which 

 on being shoAvn to Ned, so excited his eiiicurean palate 

 that he at once started Peter on tlie hunt for some of the 

 same toothsome liirds, wdiile he took from his satchel a 

 copy of "Ben Hur"andwas soon lost in the absorbing 

 pages. Having got through with "Luiy's Mista.ke," which 

 she corrected at a.n opportime time, I wadetl ijito one of 

 Ballantme's works, entitled "The Sandal Wood Trader," 

 the scene of Avhich is laid among the islands of the Pacific 

 Ocean. AVe had indulged in but a page or two of our 

 books, Avhen the two students put in an appearance to 

 engage in the game we had arranged for. We ascertained 

 on the very first hand that they AA'^ere exceedingly skiUful 

 players, and when the rubber was completed they had the 

 odd game, Ned being a little chagrined OA^er the defeat, 

 said by Av^ay of apology for the loss of the rubljer, that 

 they outlield us. but I said in response if lie had observed 

 my sigiial of having four ti-umps when he led themr we 

 would have heen the victors. He led trumps once too 

 often, and tliat completed our overthroA\', 



The northvA-ester continued the entire day. though in 

 the afternoon the large murky banks of clouds i] isa])peared, 

 and the witchery of a soft blue sky greeted us: liut a feAv 

 paces aAvay thelake AA-as sending forth its deep roar, as 

 its foammg crests broke on the beach and subsided in 

 snowy curvatures. It was really a grand and lovely sight, 

 this singry sea in a briglit sunlight, and it made the heail 

 and senses thrill with emotional pleasure. Lord Byron 

 rightly says that the beauties of art and nature are not to 

 be,placed"on the same level, for he 



"Who lives to nature, rarely can be poor; 

 Who lives to fancy, never can be rich," 



And again to poetically embellish: 



"Lontr i^d^'^■d thp miuiic works of art. 

 "But iiatiirp s woj-ks far lovelier," 



The next morning opened bright and breezy Avith the 

 northwester stiU prevailing and a sea sufficiently turbu- 

 lent to prevent an indulgence in angling. As our hunters 

 had returned the day before without a feather, they again 

 took the gun andAvent in search of some seasonable game, 

 I told them in substance, as did the Atheiviau mother 

 when she sent lier son tq tlie Avai's, to come back with 

 some trophies or not at all. Ned, AAdio ha<;l abandoned the 

 idea of casting a fij (iwrpag the da,j, top^t Jii^ c^mp-etool 



