The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-04-21
For Tie Cecil Wing
TROUT FISHING ON THE NEEPiGON.

For Tie Cecil Wing.
TROUT FISHING ON THE NEEPIGON.
orr iadian Guides Their Ppruiirriies, Sc.
The Indians, who guided Us through the
difficulties and dangers of our trip, and
whose skill and ready cxpedientS more than
once saved US from much trouble, deserve,
in closing this correspondence, some no.
tce for they are Il wonderful. as well as
strange people. They belonged to the Chip
pewa tribe and were friendly, although un.
civilized The first view we rot of them was
on the st. Marys river. on our way to Lake
Superior from Huron The banks of this
stream were thickly wooded, and frequently
we would see the white or yellow bark of
their wigwams cleaning through the trees,
or their frail but beautiful bark canoes
scudding along under the short cedar pad
die, or Il rude but quite effective sail made
out of their blankets and Il couple of poles.
Those who lived at and about the Post at
Red Rock were under the irregular employ
of the Hudson Bay Co, for whom they
"pached goods from one post to another
at the starving rate of twenty five cents a
day. These goods are strapped upon their
shoulders, the strap passing over their fore
heads. 1t is a hard and wearing service
and they soon break down under it. This
compromise between the civilization of the
Post and the wldness of their native life
is the ruin Of these savages. They are sure
to get all the vices and none of the virtues
of the whites when hanging on the out
skirt of a rude civilization. They are very
dirty, especially the females, who, when
old, are deserted and must shift for them
selves. They are all shrewd and active
and full of expedients, the natural results
Of life of independence from their ear
liest years. They share, in common with
every ignorant race, superstitous fancies.
They are very keen-sightcd. At one time
when we were padding up the Neepignon,
" Moses, our can0eman, ceased padding
and hurriedly mumbled some of his unin-
telligible jargOn to our half breed, who
sat in the stern, accompanying his words
with quick GESTURE of the hand towards
the shore about three hundred yards away.
Following their gaze to the shore, | was
unable to detect any thing unusual; but
giving them credit for greater sharpness of
sight, | asked of our half breed what he
saw. and he said the end of a canoe paddle
sticking out from the bushes had attracted
the attention Of " Moses and he thought
some one had been there lately. Even with
this explanation, | was unable 20 detect
any thing by the uniform green of the
larches, as they gracefully swept the sur
face of the silent stream, or the decaying
forms of trees which had stood for cen
turtles and fallen to quench their dying thirst
i'll the rivers edge; and at another time. on
ha I,
hal. suspended his graceful motions and
was peerlng mo the wooded banks of the
western shore with that eioqdeiGr of coun- .
tenance which some sudden discovery might
call forth. Again lie muttered something
to our half breed"
Upon inquiry learned that from some
indications which only his keen sight could
notice, he believed party had passed
Through the bush not long efore He had
detected some displacement among the
bushes and twig. along the shore, and had
Immediately formed his conclusions. | had
often read of such wonderful gifts, but had
never had an opportunity TO test them be
fore. His SurmiSes were true, for there
was party of white men ahead, and from
the fact that two canoes were seen on the
shore some few miles up the river, we sup
posed some /" Reds y were in the woods
Here, again, | tried my eyes against his,
but found myself thoroughly at sea" \
quick glance was enough to sati.fy him,
while a long, careful study of the shore
revealed nothing to me- They reach con
illusions easily and are seldom AT fault, and
hence are ready with all sorts of expcdients
They are fitted to guide you on this account.
10 give another example of their readiness,
and success in all they undertake: There
are but few birds in these woods | do not
know the reason You meet with hawks
and eagles, which can get their living from
the water, but you see very few ordinary
land birds. One evening, after a weary
day, we bad pitched our tent and built our
fire, and We're just beginning to enjoy those
inexpressOle luxu!ies of life in the wood"
when a whippoorwiil swept past LIS, and
an5hted upon a stone right in the trail,
some fifty yards away. No sooner had the
bird touched the ground than oar Indians
crcpt away right and left, and disappeared
in the bushes. With a strange interest we
waited and watched the bird which seemed
unconscious of its danger Presently. 1
from behind the Unsuspecting thing. a club /
whirled through the air and stretched it
dead on the ground, and in five minutes the
poor bird was skinned, drawn. and roasting
on a spit before the FIRE. and its captors. /
sitting with their hands over their knees, |
silently watching the savory process.
They are strangely silent when with white !
people. One evening after an unusually /
tireSona day of iiShng, we had returned /
to camp, lighted a magnificent fire, eaten .
our baked trout, and with dry clothes on.
We're lounging around the fire with our
feet stretched out towards the cracking
logs. when, without any sound, two strange /
Indians had taken their places around the /