February, 1911 
R E C R E A T I O \ 
73 
harbor dock — three miles across Miclnpocotcii bay. The work 
bif picking seven-day essentials out of the commissary department 
\^vas progressing very slowly. The afternoon was waning. W'e 
had to get a start up the river tliat day : or. at the least, we had to 
make camp, somewhere. 
Providi^nce sent us Mr. LOlenian and his gasoline launch. W'e 
fell upon him and chartered him for an indefinite period on the 
spot. We divided the party. Jim and His Lordship stayeil on 
the wharf to finish the work oi inventory and elimination. Ered 
and I loaded up the Rambler with duffle, tents and supplies al- 
ready accepted and the Rambler settled down in the Superior 
waters to her guards. A\'e took George Andre. Pete, William 
Teddy and Tommie and. with the four canoes leaping and cai)- 
sizing in tow astern, we cut across the bay for the river-mouth to 
find a camp site. We promised to send back for Jim and His 
Lordship when the deep, dark hold of the Caribou should give up 
the rest of out "grub." 
There is a Hudson's Ray post there, where the mighty Michi- 
pocoten swings around the thousandth bend and slips at last into 
Superior. That is. the buildings are there — low, rambling, pic- 
turesque old structures of logs, with great beams cut by hand a 
century ago and little diamond window panes. There is the old 
house of the factor and smaller houses where the conrciirs dc 
bois and trappers and defenders of the H. B. C. once made the 
Northern midnight howl with epic songs and j<)urne\ -end celebra- 
tions. But these buildings are deserted now. The Hudson's Bav 
Company has moved its post up to Missartabie. We camped in 
the front yard of the silent post with the ghosts of other days. 
We had put up the tents — the A tents — and got out the blankets. 
George had filled the water-pail from a spring and Tommie had 
tb.e pot on the fire and the potatoes peeled and the coffee and bacon 
ready. In the lull, waiting for Jim and His Lordship, I thought 
it wise to run over the map and the camj)aign and route with 
George Andre. 
Right there I made a discovery that jolted me as 1 hadn't been 
jolted for years. In my ignorance 1 had planned to start out at 
sunrise tomorrow with the fiotilla and paddle briskly and light- 
heartedly right up the Michipocoten river. George put a gnarled 
finger on a spot of the map about fifteen miles from the rock 
where we were sitting and said firmly : 
"Take a week to get there." 
'A\'hy?" I asked with sinking heart. 
"Water swift, all rapids," said George. "Have to pole and line 
all the way." 
"But we must get U]) there," 1 insisted, i)t)inting to Lake Mani- 
towick, a good sixty miles by the river. " and do it in a week, too.' 
"All right." said George. "We go over these lakes here, make 
portage and do it in two days." 
"How about the portage?" I asked feirfuUy. 
"Seven-mile one to start with, to Lake Wa-Wa." said George. 
"Do you think we're carrying a moving-van in the outfit?" I 
inquired. 
"Mebbe. I got a team — at the Mission." said (ieorge. 
The abandoned Hiidson s Bay posl at the Michipocolen River Mission. 
"Une team to tote four canoes and this colossal scenic jiro- 
duction ?" 
"Sure." said George. "Get wagon with rack." 
"Take a canoe and get the team and the teamster." I >aid. 
George did it. He paddled over to the Indian Mission and 
back and reported that the team would be waiting for us with 
the morning's sun. 
We had a surprise for Jirn and His Lordship when they puflFed 
into camp with another launch-load of "eats." But they didn't 
grumble or call me any of the things I deserved and fuUv ex])ected 
to be called. The oi)timism and charity — and appetite — of the 
wilderness had already softened the iron in their hearts. In 
gratitude I open some ox-tail soup and two cans of pork and beans. 
Right there Tommie's culinary genius, hidden these decades be- 
neath a half-bushel, began declaring itself. We sang and perpe- 
trated bad puns and capered as we spread our blankets over bal- 
sam boughs that William Teddy had cut. and sweet marsh-hay 
filched from the H. B. C.'s deserted barn. We rolled into those 
blankets, too, at the time when we should be just aiiout finishing 
a huge, indigestible dinner back in the big city. The camj) was 
very still in the stillness of the Northern night, when I took a last 
look at the bright Northern stars and hearkened to the surf of Su- 
perior and the snores of James. I opened the flap of His Lord- 
ship's tent cautiously. He had his moustaches in curl papers and 
was manicuring his nails by the light of an electric lantern. I 
wasn't sure how His Lordship was going to enjoy and last out this 
trip. He waved his hand at me gaily and said : 
"My dear old chap, this is perfectly rijiping — I sav — isn't it?" 
Which it certainly was. Then the pack of half-wolf Indian dogs 
at the [Mission began howling and I dreamed that I had mv eager 
fingers around the neck of that "no-trout-on-the-Michipocoten"- 
specter and was choking it to death with the full delight of a 
pleasure long deferred. 
( To be coiiti)nii'(j.) 
Li. 
^^^^^ 
"His Lordship" (in the cap) just arrived, and hungry, sizing up Tomnie's supper preparations — and being beaten to it by Jim. ^ ou will 
notice the latter's eagerness is not so nicely held in check as that of his fellow sufferer. The author captioned this picture "The bacon smell. 
