I 
this lyrical stream than the Indian and th 
woodsman in shoepac and corduroy. The fish¬ 
ing, too, remains unusually good considering the 
amount of time and effort that has been expended 
in attempting to exhaust it. 
Possibly one might in time tire of a fish diet, 
but we never did, although the table was con¬ 
stantly supplied by means of spoon hook or fly. 
At one portage of joyous memory, far above 
Lake Nepigon, seven speckled trout that meas¬ 
ured from eighteen to twenty inches were caught 
from the rapids, and nine that measured from 
twelve to fourteen inches were returned to the 
water in the space of an hour and a half. Al¬ 
though the fishing was uniformly satisfactory, as 
much cannot be said of the game, for while there 
were many tracks along the shore, we saw com¬ 
paratively few large animals. A few moose, bears 
and lynx were surprised during their daily 
search for food, but the guides attributed their 
scarcity to the pernicious activity of the numer¬ 
ous Indians as well as to the unfavorable period 
of the vear. 
FOLLOWING THE FVR TRAIL 
A Cruise Through the Albany River Region 
By CHARLES B. REED 
In Two Parts—Part II. 
O UR arrival at the northwest corner of Lake tude lengthened the time to a day and a half, 
Nepigon was signalized by a strong south- which was spent in interesting observations upon 
west wind which made canoeing obviously the river and the dwellers upon its banks. The 
impossible. Luckily the tug which Revillion Freres clear, cold, swift water fringed with a thick 
have built upon the lake was expected to stop there growth of all the northern trees and at times 
for a party of engineers coming down from the banked with perpendicular cliffs from ioo to 200 
transcontinental survey. A signal was made and feet in height, would alone bring many visitors 
the boat came to the bar a mile and a half from to enjoy its undeniable royal beauty, but in ad- 
shore, dropped anchor and left us to cross the 
interval in canoes. As soon as we left the mouth 
of the river the venture became quite question¬ 
able, for the other canoes were visible only when 
we rose simultaneously on the waves, but we 
managed to get well to windward and then 
drifted down nose to the wind to the tug, over 
the side of which we were dragged as the canoe 
rose on the crest of a wave. 
I he descent of the Nepigon River is frequent¬ 
ly accomplished in one day, but the violent con¬ 
trary wind and our own indulgent mental atti- 
dition the largest speckled trout in the world are 
taken from its foaming rapids, and this has 
brought the enthusiastic fisherman from every 
corner of the earth. Furthermore, the angler can 
secure every possible luxury from the thoughtful 
outfitters at Nepigon station, and any number of 
Indians to care for man and goods. So perfect 
is this system that ladies with their maids and 
wearing long automobile veils, and men with 
valets and Turkish slippers, or with rows of 
polished shoes on lasts in front of the tent, are 
no more debarred from enjoying the beauties of 
1 bus was concluded an excursion that ex¬ 
tended over the entire length of five rivers and 
large portions of three others, covering in its 
totality one hundred and four portages and ap¬ 
proximately six hundred miles of the fur trail. 
It is only on the portages that the fur trail can 
be followed and studied. It is here also that the 
true test is made of man’s right to inherit the 
joy of forest and stream. It is on the portages 
that history has left her indelible seal, and in 
traveling these highways we cannot forget their 
great antiquity. While Charles II. was granting 
charters to the colonists of America and Louis 
XIV. was rejoicing in his new France, long be¬ 
fore Bunyan had written his Pilgrim’s Progress, 
the Indian hunter was pursuing his lonely way 
between lakes and rivers along these trails which 
took him with the least expenditure of time and 
energy to and from his choicest hunting grounds; 
or again in warpaint and headdress warriors in 
Indian file would thread a sinuous and sinister 
passage through these same beautiful and peace¬ 
ful aisles in search of their foes. 
The management of the canoe is an art in it¬ 
self, and may be practiced in woodland lake, city 
park or the stream of the countryside, but the 
pack and portage furnish an excellent opportu¬ 
nity to realize how much one’s affection for the 
woods is a self-deception founded in false senti¬ 
ment, and how much is a real love of the forest 
and of manly endeavor for its own sake. At first 
the attempt is made timidly with a small pack 
and a large curiosity. One tries it again and 
again until a feeling of pride and confidence 
takes the place of timidity. The practiced packer 
can and does carry the most astonishing loads 
over the trail, hut the amateur must beware his 
