382 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Mat 6, 1894. 



- ON THE NORTH SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR. 



{Continued from Page 361.) 



After dinner the boys took the gun and went into the 

 deep woods for a hunt. A suspicion dawned on me that 

 Ned wanted a few more joberwinks, and as I had become 

 quite partial to the juicy and savory bird my mouth also 

 watered for it. We were both doomed to disappointment, 

 for about 4 o'clock they returned, bringing nothing but a 

 single rabbit, that we vetoed as being unfit for the table, 

 and so poor bunny was left hanging on a pliant limb for 

 food for some famished wolf or other forest prowler. 

 We emphatically warned the boys to kill no more rabbits, 

 as it was criminal waste to slaughter them during the 

 summer season. 



The weather in the meantime having charmingly 

 cleared, and the lake being in fine condition, we em- 

 barked in the boat for a skirmish along the shore with 

 the spotted leopards of tne deep. We admiringly suc- 

 ceeded in convincing three of them of the folly of dally- 

 ing ton long with the bright tinsel and soft feathers that 

 flatter so life-like upon the silvery ripples. We could 

 doubtless have doubled the number, but our larder was 

 too full of the delicious beauties to think of a further in- 

 crease. 



We made the return under skies gorgeously rich in 

 drifting clouds of ruby and gold that took unto themselves 

 those fanciful forms in which a lively imagination could 

 picture almost any vision. The lake also partook of the 

 delight of the heavens as it rippled in varying hues and 

 murmured softly and sweetly as if it were singing to the 

 sapphire-tinted skies a lullaby of sweet repose. 



When the evenings were not too cool, we invariably, 

 after supper, went to the high massive rock in front and 

 there, as the deep purple shadows crept up the aspiring 

 mountains, drank in the beauties of the sunset, the wide- 

 reaching landscape and the over-arching sky. Occasion- 

 ally we would make a cast in the "preserve," and after 

 having captured one of the scarlet nobility cease the 

 sport. There was one golden patriarch there that had 

 one morning got away with Ned's leader and flies, and 

 which we were very anxious to secure. That evening I 

 prepared especially for him by putting on a single fly, a 

 jungle-cock, with 1-0 sproat. It was glaring and fanci- 

 ful, but it was highly attractive, for no sooner had it 

 kissed the water than there was a tiger-like leap for it 

 from a savage fontinalis of tremendous proportions which 

 I was fortunate enough to hang with the big hook. Stung 

 to desperation by his cruel reception, he made a Nancy 

 Hanks start for the other side of the lake with the rhythm 

 of the reel in his wake, and showing no inclination to 

 slacken in his speed I gently put on the brakes. This 

 checked his onward career, for he at once rose to the sur- 

 face and 



"Then all at once the slackened line 



Stretched outward through the waters deep; 



We saw a flash of silver shine, 

 We saw a big trout leap; 



By Hercules 1 a gallant fish- 

 One spring, and like dissolving spray 



The line and leader parted— 'swish'— 

 Click— broke away.",, 



As I slowly and solemnly reeled in the slack, Ned 

 pointed to where the monster had pirated my gaudy 

 jungle-cook, and in a disappointed and exasperated tone 

 exclaimed, "I'll bet that's the very identical trout that 

 got away with my big fly. He's a gallant fighter, at anv 

 rate, and deserved his liberty, but if we leave this camp 

 without his carmined scalp, we deserve to be bastinadoed 

 or expelled from the membership of the craft. I'll now 

 rig especially for this red demon of the deep, and hope to 

 have his scarlet hide ere another sunset enriches the 

 horizon." 



"I'm with you heart and hand. You practice your 

 gentle art m the morning and I in the evening, where 

 this monster has his lurking place." 



With this agreement for the capture, Ned's fertile 

 imagination was at once drawn on for the design of the 

 new fly that he hoped would prove successful. He was 

 somewhat fastidious in his creations as well as original 

 and what manner of lure he would construct was not 

 heralded m camp. I offered him the choice of any fl v I 

 had, but he would accept none: all he required was a 

 salmon gut leader and that I gave him. The darling of 

 his imagination would probably ripen in the dawn 

 when the violets bathe in the gemmy dew and the 

 sun blushes on the mountain tops. It would be hum- 

 ming and dropping like thistle-down o'er the haunts 

 ot the coveted fish long before I was up, for Ned was 

 always the first riser in camp and never called me till the 

 breakfast was about to be served. He doubtless expected 

 to exhibit his wonderful crea tion to my astonished gaze 

 while I was yet in blanket, as a sort of a sunburst beauty 

 ot rare novelty and impressive magnitude. I honed his 

 dreams of conquest would be fully realized, for the cap- 

 ture of a remarkably heavy trout was to him a victory 

 ever delightful, the prospects of which he eloquently 

 S^adDarT melodlousl y san S tiU the theme wal about 



fiJl 6 t eXt ^?° rnin f ' Ne 3' as 1 an «cipated, was up with 

 the lark and hard at work upon the ideal vision he had 

 doubtless wrought out in his cunning mind during the 

 quiet hours of the night. His assortmlnt of feather! was 

 from the four quarters of the globe and embraced all 

 colors conceivable The art was simply in the selection 



»^fTfl 10n ^ bl , endl ? g ' and if ne had any particular 

 style of fly architecture in view it must have come from 

 an unknown age. However, the fly was sure to X 

 original and startling; either a flame of ruby red garnished 

 with a sky-rocket dash, or the polka-dots of a pScock 

 illumined with a sprinkle of golden foil or a strip of silver 

 tinsel or both, as the fancy struck him. As I looked 

 upon his idol when completed I was overwhelmed with 

 surprise, as it disclosed a form the like of which was 

 never seen on earth, or, I might also say, by way ofeluct 

 dation, in the heavens. It was simply a heterogeneous 

 bundle ot feathers and tinsel, coiled around a lTsproat 

 hook, and so outrS as to attract from its very novelty 



The fly being to his entire satisfaction, he attached it to 

 ;f^ eade ^ W ^ Ch T aS dangling from his'line near by, and 

 then, with rod m hand and hope in heart, sallied out hke 

 a panoplied knight to do or die. 6 



I refrained from accompanying him, as I desirwi him 

 to have a fair field for the introduction of his ^eTcreatSn 

 but simply suggested to him with as grave an alpect as I 

 could assume, to yell when he had the monste? wefi in 



hand and we would all rush to assist in landing it. Ned 

 halted a moment, and turning, looked at me seriously to 

 see if I intended the remark in a Pickwickian sense, but 

 as I moved not a facial muscle under his steady gaze, he 

 took the advice literally and replied, "All right," and then 

 marched onward to the ramparts of rock. 



He had been gone but a few moments before a shout 

 came from him that caused us all to start and cry out: 



"He's got 'im." 



On one of the boys snatching up the landing net we ail- 

 raced over the huge and declivitous rocks to be in, as we 

 thought, at the capture of the coveted fish. Arriving there 

 we were very much disappointed in seeing Ned's rod in 

 such gentle play, for the indications were too palpable 

 that it was not with the monster. It being a good occasion 

 for a little pleasantry I excitedly shouted: 



"For heaven's sake don't let him escape this time. 

 Give him careful play and let him have plenty of line 

 when he makes for deep water." 



' 'It ain't the big fellow," he replied rather disappointedly 

 and somewhat crestfallen. 



"Oh, fiddlesticks; why did you make such an outcry? I 

 really thought you had a whale." 



"I only wanted one of the boys to net him, that's all." 



"Next time temper your tone and don't shout as if you 

 wanted to fracture the rocks around you when you have 

 nothing but a baby trout to deal with." 



Ned took the chaffing in good part, and when Peter had 

 netted the pound trout we all retired, leaving Ned hard at 

 work with his flaming fly. 



The breakfast, which had been well under way when 

 we raced over the rocks at Ned's signal, was again taken 

 up and soon ready for serving. At the proper time Ned 

 was summoned by a shout, and as he came slowly along, 

 rod in hand, with bowed head and grave aspect, he looked 

 decidedly demoralized, as the success he had expected 

 from his feathery combination, on which he had spent so 

 much time and talent, had entirely failed him. 



Feeling mischievously inclined as he made his sad 

 entree, and thinking of the old unbalanced account I 

 still held against him, recited in bombastic style: 



"And day by day, along the lake he wandered to and fro, 

 And day by day, the trout swam securely down below; 

 'Til this little story ended as such little stories may, 

 With the big trout swimming in the usual way." 



Ned was so broken up over the failure of that grand 

 creation of his that he had no heart for the humoristic 

 foil, and in silence allowed the versical conceit to pass 

 unnoticed. Had he have captured that savage and 

 gigantic fontinalis for which his very soul yearned, he 

 would have come at me "horse, foot and dragoon" and so 

 covered me with satirical wounds that I would have never 

 again dared measure lances with him as drolle de corps. 



He stated at the table that he had had another rise, a 

 feeble one, while at the rock, and believed that it was 

 from the escaped trout. 



"Doubtless it was, Ned, but when he got near enough 

 to fully realize your wonderful composition in feathery 

 art he shied off, thinking it some paddling water fowl of 

 an unknown species." 



"Genius, when it soars in untrodden fields, is at first 

 seldom appreciated; but there finally comes a day when 

 it receives merited reward." 



"All of which, in analysis, means that the particular 

 fly in question will ere long obtain great and successful 

 celebrity as a killer!" 



"Precisely," and then quietly dismissing the annoying 

 subject he took a second small trout on his plate, ran his 

 knife along one of its sides, opened the slit, deftly lifted 

 out the entire back bone and then went into the enjoy- 

 ment of the now boneless fish as if it were a dish fit for 

 the gods. 



After we had satisfied our rapacious maws, it was de- 

 cided to make a picnic affair at Gravel River, some three 

 or four miles to the west of us. We could fish en route, 

 for we would pass over some fine trouting waters which 

 on our trip of last year yielded many a lovely trophy. I 

 was not much in favor of taking the trip, for the morn- 

 ing was close and sultry, and it bade fair to soon give us 

 a looking-glass lake. The half-breeds, however, having 

 everything ready for the advance, and Ned being quite 

 eager for the anticipated sport, I of course went along 

 rather than enter any demur to the proceedings. 



We had not gone more than two miles bpf ore we winced 

 under the almost tropic sun and the lance-like glimmer 

 from the now quiet lake. So far, we had not had a rise 

 though we flogged the waters with increasing industry 

 and with ardent hope in every cast and flutter. Finally 

 a tiny nursling shot by, and on Peter pointing out two or 

 three good sized trout in statuesque poise on the bottom, 

 we were firmly convinced that no trout would rise to the 

 quiet surface, and at once ordered the boys to head for 

 our harbor with the picnic postponed for a more propitious 

 day. We reached camp in a short time in a decidedly 

 melting condition and with an infinitely deeper hue of 

 brown upon our faces and hands than when we left. The 

 grateful shade of our quarters, which were in a cluster of 

 white cedars, was quite comforting, and there, in limited 

 wardrobe, we remained and solaced ourselves with a few 

 rubbers of "crib," games of solitaire and entertaining 

 books, as well as a little chatter on the gentle art. 



About four o'clock in the afternoon a slight breeze 

 sprang up and a few clouds in delicate rose-pink began to 

 appear and circle around the glowing orb, creating a soft 

 and hazy condition of the atmosphere. Ned, at these 

 favorable symptoms, suggested an immediate start forthe 

 "big rocks" in the bay. Being eager for breaking the 

 monotony of camp, I immediately enlisted under his pis- 

 catorial banner. 



The half-breeds were at once called to man the boats 

 and in a few minutes we were breaking through the little 

 ripples that were momentarily curving higher and higher 

 with little beads of froth dropping in a merry tinkle. It 

 was an ideal condition of the elements, and i was positive 

 the wail of lamentation would be heard among the dandy 

 dotted tribe of the deep ere the twilight departed. 



Just before we turned a jutting point into the 'bay we 

 reached a gigantic rock o'er which the rays of sunlight 

 danced most delightf ully. A shady line, the tell-tale home 

 ot some spotted beauty, ran near its bold and ragged face 

 and here we sent the fluttering flies. Ned Tilted his 

 from the water without a response, while a moment 

 alter a gleam of silver sprang into sight with arrowy 

 swiftness that beads the water as if a tiny torpedo were 

 speeding through it. My stretcher being the object of 

 this savage plunge, I instantaneously vibrated the rod with 



a sudden twitch, and then in turn the gentle cadence of 

 the revolving reel rang out most sweetly. It was a spirited 

 fight of a few minutes with the usual acrobatic exhibition, 

 and at last the frenzied despondency of the victim whose 

 departing vitality ebbed away with his broken heart. He 

 came to the net a despairing dupe of the dropping feath- 

 ers, with his golden sides rivalling the bright sunshine 

 that fell from above. He was a good two-pounder and a 

 gallant warrior withal. We went over every inch of this 

 cozy cover, but not another of the cherry and orange- 

 clouded princelings rose to the surface. 



The blades are again in requisition, but so gently and 

 silently glides the boat that its movement is hardly notice- 

 able. Here and there whizz and hum, drop and flutter, 

 the four flies, until at last we reach Mt. Horeb, as Ned 

 styles the "big rocks," which has a shore line of some 

 200ft. Alighting, Ned speeds to his favorite spot, the 

 upper end, while I remain and commence casting where I 

 had stepped ashore, working cautiously along, covering 

 every bit of water with exceeding care. Coming to a 

 piece of rugged and shelving rock, which I thought might 

 develop a fontinalis, I prudently kept back some 20ft. 

 from the water and then let the flies sail out and drop o'er 

 the dark lines of a deep and narrow channel. Instantly 

 there was a violent ' splash and spreading circles, but 

 nothing held to either fly. It was an unmistakable and 

 unfortunate miss, but, not the least disconcerted, I again 

 lifted high the flies and let them gently fall upon the dis- 

 turbed waters. 



"Then from the depths a silver gleam 



Quick flashes, like a jewel bright; 

 Up through the waters of the stream — 



An instant visible to sight — 

 As lightning cleaves the sombre sky, 



The Salvelinus rises to the fly." 



This time his overweening confidence An his powers to 

 rend and devour met with a sad reverse, for the cruel 

 steel pierced his savage jaws, torturing him into a wild 

 rage and a lightning-like speed that had to be checked ere 

 the braided thread reached its last span on the reel alumi- 

 num. It would simply be repetition to describe the strug- 

 gle; suffice it to say that he fought with a stubborn frenzy, 

 indulging in the usual leaps, plunges, drives, etc. , till he 

 yielded to the triumphant victor. 



During the battle Ned left his end of the rock and came 

 to the scene of strife as a "mere looker on in Vienna," 

 but, strange to say, no sooner was the prize landed than 

 he at once commenced casting from whence the beauty 

 had been taken. This was a sublimity of cheek I little 

 expected from him, but as ho had not scored a fish I 

 entered no gentle protest, but simply smiled at the monu- 

 mental audacity of the angler. "Singing and swishing" 

 through the air went his flies, and not wishing to drop in 

 the same place, for a while I sat and deeply admired my 

 trophy, which was a four-pounder, and the handsomest 

 trout I had ever deceived. He was simply a poem in the 

 colors that beautify this peerless fish. 



There was the flush of gold like sunset glow; 

 Marvelous tints from the arched rainbow; 

 Dashes of crimson ever bright and grand; 

 Waves of silver from the Bhining sand; 

 Spangles and stars from a far away land, 

 And shades that Nature alone understand. 



Having gratified my vision with the ever beautiful 

 fish, I took up my rod and joining Ned requested him, in 

 a bit of pleasantry, to step aside and let me demonstrate 

 the superior attraction of an artistic fly. He instantly 

 complied, and on the very first cast my stretcher was the 

 objective point of some hungry trout. I missed as he 

 broke the water, and then Ned deliberately marched 

 down with evident intent of attracting the same fish. He 

 sent his flies as near the objective spot as he possibly could, 

 but failed to secure a response. I smiled ; in fact, I felt 

 like roaring at his great anxiety to capture the trout I 

 had aroused and his utter disregard of the ethics of 

 angling. Generally Ned was the most fastidious stickler 

 in the observance of all rules that govern the. genuine 

 sportsman, but this time' he was decidedly off his base; 

 blind, as it were, to the gross infraction, so deeply intent 

 was he to hang an iridescent idol of the "icy lake." 



Once more my flies went out and dropped with unerr- 

 ing precision to the desired place, and again the fontinalis 

 rose and greedily took my royal-coachman, the stretcher. 

 This time the alluring coachman held him secure, and 

 after he had exhausted his vitality and all the strategic 

 resources of which he was master, reluctantly hauled 

 down his colors with bold defiance still beaming in his 

 shining eyes. He was a pound less in weight than the 

 other, but equally as symmetrical and as rich in gorgeous 

 colors. 



Ned at once said his flies were not in favor and would 

 therefore make a change from a catalogue which ran like 

 that of "Ye Sunberye Fysher," who 



" has flies of all feathers 



For all sorts of seasons, in all sorts of weathers; 

 Flies when ye springtide is blusterie and showerie, 

 Flies when ye summer is greenie and bowerie; 

 Flies when ye autumn is golden and granie; 

 For hot weather, cold weather, mistie or ranie; 

 Red spinner, palmer, black peacock and gray, 

 Yellow dun, golden dun, March brown and May; 

 Sand fly, and stone fly, and alder and gnat, 

 Black midge and Marlow bug— all round his hat." 



After a thorough overhauling of his fly-book he con- 

 cluded to discard his own pet creations and carefully 

 selected two of most artistic make, a Lord-Baltimore 

 and a gray-hackle. Having affixed these to his leader 

 he starts for the upper end of the granite mass, his first 

 choice, and begins to skillfully lay them upon the musical 

 ripples. As I had as many trout as I desired without 

 glutting the larder, I reeled up and sat down with the 

 half-breeds upon the rock at a convenient distance from 

 Ned, and watched his earnest work. He was decidedly 

 anxious for a rise, and so very restless that he constantly 

 changed his position from one end of the rock to the 

 other, until finally his tramping became a mirthful theme 

 for the lookers on. As he passed on one of his exciting 

 trots, for he made good time in his changes, I satirically 

 suggested to him that he fish both ends of the titanic 

 range at one and the same time. He smiled at the im- 

 practicable suggestion, but replied not, as he was just 

 then too busily engaged to indulge in any sprinkling of 

 the attic salt. At last the persistent angler had a rise, 

 and striking in response, an astonished trout commenced 



