, 1877-09-09

evil genius OF yesterday, rose and sqnawked an
splaslled in pauic and scoopcd the waters, on on
Of sight, but not out Ut hearing Tor some time
The river is growing larger as we proceed, WIFI
fewer rapids and shadows, but bordcrcd with
At noon we were come to the portage to LAX
Mary,-as usual, only q faintiy-traccd r. Lral
through bushes and woods and over logs. I'M
little sheet, as VIC emerged from the leaves .
| its edge, shonc in the glamour OF the sun llk
a g!ittering mirror in a lcaty setting OF emera!o
While the boys were Juggling over, we had tim
for mustng all We wanted to In the shade. IN
lake bends, and is not to be: wholly seen in frs
view We found its water clear, and VIC though
1t stocked with fish, but II SO none OF the in;
made any snatcl,es at the trolling hooks whel
we passed over. The stiffness Of the who'll
scene was impressive. A solitary loon, moan
ing its p!aintive nlonody. as solemn as sepGt
chral vail, was the only Sign or souuu that toit
I made the further end OF the lake-about q mil'
at q knoll swelling gently up from the llttl'
/ nook or core where we landed. The under
growth has at some period been burned on
and the forest t1inncd out bY tire probably, ye
with enough scattering, srecn.llour!sh!ng tree:
for shade and to ula*e Tie several acres ot roll
| ing surface picturesque and the whole tland
| some, natural park. On the summit OF the lawr
| or slope our tents were ultimately pitched fol
the day. 4 hcayY shower, with good deal o
thunder >>and lightning ripping closely over US,
came Oh in eopious outpourpg for time, and
mostly during the afternoon there were clouds
dripping mildly. Under our canvas we were
high and dry, and with our literature and ]yin.
on our blankets we had very little concern
about the play OF the elements. After night set
III, and the cllcery fire Tapped the dig logs In
forms Of flame, We squatted around It and lis
tened to Denson's story Of bis mountain travel
i'll the West, of bis ascent. OF Pixies Peak, and
u tue more perilous climb OF Longs Peak, too.
Hours thus passed, near into the Wttchng time
Of night, and were made the plcasantcr by those
friendly and ready scrvitors OF all the hours Of
some Of us, our. pipes. To-night's campfire
will touch tile shrine OF 1nenlury with some OF
the most delightful and enduring ttngcs, and
for the time at least 1t has paleu the memory
of the lights on the hcart!stones at home. We
70 NOW to lie down to pleasant dreams.
MONDAY, 1Sth.-Our waking this morning
WINS to the gentle pattcring OF rain Oh the tent.
1t showered only softly and shortly, and
though the clouding did not vanish, the rain
ceased SO that we could make onward. And
beautiful as was the scene around us, we parted
from it with no ''longine, lingering looks be-
hinl.' for the promise OF regions further
prompted quickstep movement. We packed
tor two-mic portage over to the Paint River;
and to aid the Indians each OF us shouldcred
along like Zingui tramps. The trail is compar~
ativcly easy, or else, perhaps, our muscles
would not have so endured the unwonted strain.
1t was noon when the portage WAS finished. It
led to high bank or knob Of hill, with q
cleared place for former camping, and overlook
Ing broad, smooth, pretty reach Of
the river. At the foot of, the hill
IL little brook, interlaced with branches and
brush, ran in crystal current, yet cold with the
chill Of tile Springs that fed it. Undoubtedly,
1t is very covert of trout, and High and Deui-
son set out to try a take in some OF its hidden
hooks aud recesscs, but they found the little
stream impcnetrably guarded against the art
and patience of all anglers by the density Of the
man,s fancy, Il tempting lair Of trout, but
one where neither trouters could rush in nor
angels tread. Denison, probably, thought he
did :tbig thing" in carrying over his load.
grogatc avoirdupois was :hfty-sevcn pounds.
We concluded lis muscular capabilities, COM
pared with the Indians, was hardly worth the
reckoning, and he sung small on the subject.
But neither Dave nor Tabo can hold candle to
him in shooting. on the wing, they eau out
carry n:m. By the way, this form OF firing is SO
much his fancy that, Tor want Of some winged
creature to blaze away at, be had Tabo toss a
potato in the mir for flying target, and, sure
enough. he blew it to pieces with bis shot as it
was coming down. We had dinner here. At the
close Of our meal canoe hove into port with
three passcngcrs,-n Chippewa gentleman, bare
loot, and two fashionable squaws Of the
same persuasion. The ladies maintained
lug to imply that, as 'twhite men are
mighty uncertain" they rather preferred to
Keep their distance. So they rode at anchor.
But Red Rooster, or whatever his name Is, knew
some 0: our natives, aud came climbing up the
hill to camp, to powwow thetn,--the Indian
,powwow being the original Of our interview
ing,n The entente eortlia.t was soon established,
and the Chippewa or Mcuominee ycrnacular was
the medium of their ctylit!cs. One word Of it
--"now.o-ka a"-or very like that, in sound,
Kooster's manly diaphragm: We understood It
to be the courtly Indian phrase for 'sgrub,"
aud he, 1t least, took it as m epitomized card
OF invitation to dinner, for he at onre evinced
a log at table, which was a pacldne:-bo1 upside
down.. He was not mealy-mourhed in having
friendly familiarity with our potatoes, and was
free from any prejudice against Ja-
pan tea; and that Indians, as some spectators
suDposc they are, are not descendants OF the
lost tribes Of Israel, the havoc he nladc in the
pork side-dish WIS proof-sutiicent,-iis procliy-
ity for cooked hog would silence any suspicion
Of his being remotely OF kin to the Jews. 4 sec
ond draught on the. Japan tee was more than |
peaches and cream to him. In fact, all our |
cookery was Just to his taste. He showed what |
he could do, when he had 4 rare chance at high |
living like ours. But the greedy savage lost his |
in his glut, for never tnorsel or hunk
When we embarked, Red Rooster, who was |
going III our direction cunning for most any
thing, consorted with us, and he and our men |
poled canoes side by side and kept up 2 lively |
The bushes, David espicd a half-concealed birch
bark canoe. He ran over to it, aau on an in-
spection, determined to condemn 1t BY. Indian |
aw. regardless Of any nieetfes OF nedm and !
L.