100 
THE NATURALISTS' COMPANION, 
A JSrATJJRALIST 
CAJVOEIJYG 200 MILES 
IJV THE ADIROMDACKS. 
BY FALCON. 
CHAPTER A. 
In this manner we spent two more 
days, during which time the canoes 
were given a fresh coat of paint. AVe 
varied the general course of things by 
target practice, trolling for pike, (of 
which the lake is full) and racing. By 
the third day I had learned to keep 
my canoe from upsetting, and as the 
other canoe was clry, we carefully re¬ 
packed them, and started for the wil¬ 
derness. Paddling down the lake for 
a mile we landed on a sandy beach at 
the foot of the “carry” to Clear Pond. 
These “carries” are bridle paths cut 
through the forest from one lake to 
another, and are just wide enough for 
a man to carry his boat easily. We 
each shouldered a boat and started 
along the path. The path was not as 
smooth as a paved road by any means 
but we managed to walk and carry' the 
canoes without much trouble. After 
walking for about thirty minutes we 
perceived a break in the trees, and 
mounting a small knoll. Clear Pond 
burst upon our view. This pond, nest¬ 
ling as it does among the mountains, 
is well named. I think that I never 
saw a purer and clearer sheet of water. 
For quite a distance from land pebbles 
on the bottom can be seen, looking as 
if the}" were but a few feet away. On 
one side of the pond was a summer 
shanty, set on a piece of cleared ground, 
but differing from our former stopping 
place, being built of boards, loosely* 
tastened. After supper, which was 
both dinner and supper to us, we shoul¬ 
dered our rifles and went back to Long- 
Lake after the mail. It was very dark 
when we came back, and as we had no 
lantern, traveling was extremely diffi¬ 
cult, but w*e finally got Isack, 
to the shanty* without anv accident, 
and lay down to sleep by* a roaring 
camp Are. 
CHAPTER VI. 
At 4:30 o’clock a. m., July 31st, 1884, 
we were up and the Professor was pre¬ 
paring breakfast while I took the pro¬ 
visions from the canoed, which had 
been drawn upon the beach. Our plan 
w*as to stay* a day* and examine the 
lake, and the following morning to pro¬ 
ceed farther inland. Breakfast being- 
over we got into our canoes and start¬ 
ed on a tour of inspection around the 
lake. Several loons could be seen but 
as soon as w*e came near, they w*ould 
shoot under the water, leaving only a 
faint ripple to mark the spot where 
they* w*ent down. A small brook emp¬ 
tied into tlie lake from the south, and 
being a fine locality for trout, we soon 
had our flies in working order. They* 
would just touch the water, and some 
times before, when a leap, a splash 
and the pole would bend like a reed as 
a big fish w*as landed. After I had 
enjoy*ed this sport for a short time I 
went to hunt for loon’s nests, of wdiich 
I found three, built in the long reeds 
near the shore. Going on land near 
the brook, I found a medley of tracks 
in the soft sand, birds, panthers, wild 
cats and here and there a larger one 
which show*ed the presence of a bear. 
A drop or tw*o of rain warned us that 
we had better startfor the shanty*, and 
before we reached it it rained hard. 
AVe expected to have a glorious time 
“Iving off” in the shanty, but to our 
utter disgust, w*hen we got there we 
found that the roof leaked badlyu So 
instead of enjoying ourselves we were 
obliged to squat down to our sup¬ 
per, w*ith coats over us, and “grin and 
bear it.” However about five o’clock 
it cleared up and began to grow cold, 
so after a hot supper we tumbled in. 
INext morning we were up bright and 
early*, and after packing the canoes. 
