Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-10-20
A NIGHT ENCOUNTER,

A few years ago, in late summer, l was
camping with a cOmrade, on the Little
Suuatook lake-known to the hunters and
trappers of that wild region as Second
lake. On the high plateau of the Squa-
looks, dividing northern New Brunswick
from Quebec, the moons are temperate and
the nights chilly, even during the most
fervid of the dog-days.
One radiant moonlight night, when the
MINDLESS little lake spread out before our
camp like a shield of silver, and the woody
mountains inClosing us seemed to hold
their breath for delight, l was seized with
an overwhelming impulse to launch the
canoe and pole myself up the swift current
of the river to the spacious waters of First,
or Big Squatook, lake. This lake is ten
miles long and from two to four in breadth,
and l was eager to paddle noiselessly out
upon its wide, cleaning expanse. The
distance between the two lakes is about a
mile and a half, with rapid water almost
all the way; and my fellow-camper, who
had been amusing himself laboriously all
day, was too much in love with his pipe
and blankets by the campfire to think of
accompanying me. All my persuasions
were wasted upon him, so l went alone.
OF course had an excuse. / wanted to
set night-lines for the great gray trout, or
togue, which haunt the waters of Big Squa-
took lake. A favorite feeding ground of
these fish is just where the water begins to
shoal toward the lakes outlet. Strange as
it may seem, the togue are never taken in
Second lake, or in any other of the Squa-
took chain.
1t was a weirdly beautiful journey up
stream The narrow river full of rapids,
but 50 free from rocks in this part of its
course that its voice seldom rises above a
loud, purring whisper, was overhung by
many ancient trees. Through the spaces
between their tops fell the moonlight in
sharp white patches. AS the long, slow
thrusts of my pole forced the canoe stealth
lily upward against the current, the creep
ing panorama of the banks seemed full of
elfish and noiseless life. White trunks
slipped into shadow, and black stumps
caught CLEANS of sudden radiance, till the
strangeness of it all began to impress me
more than its beauty, and l felt curious
and growing sense of danger. | even cast
a longing thought backward toward the
camp fires cheer and my lazier cOmrade !;
and at length when, slipping out upon the
open bosom of the lake, l put aside my
pole and grasped my paddle, l drew a
breath of distinct relief.
1t took but few minutes to place my
bLlCC hlSuJ llnGo' IlS hOuCt ptuuiCtl
with slow strokes toward a big rock far
out in the lake.
The broad surface was as unrippled as a
mirror, save where my paddle and the
gliding prov disturbed it. When tloated
motionless, and the canoe drifted softly be-
yond the petty turmoil of my paddle, it
seemed as if were hanging suspended in
the centre of a blue and starry sphere.
The magic of the water so persuaded me
that presently hauled up my canoe on the
rock, took off my clothes, and swan far
out into the liquid stiffness. The water
was cold, but of a lfe-giving freshness,
and when | had dressed and resumed my
paddle felt full of spirit for the wild dash
home to camp, through the purring rapids
and the spectral woods. Little did
dream just how wild that dash was to be!
Where the river flows out of Big Squa-
took lake the shores draw together like the
sides of funnel, there are no rocks to i'm
pede, and the strong, swift current is as
level as the sandy floor beneath it. Just
at the neck of the funnel, so to speak, the
Indians had built sort of fence of up
right stakes, set close together in double
row. This fence at one time extended all
the way across save for a narrow gateway
in the middle, where the Indians were &C
customed to stand at certain seasons and
spear the whitefish as they darted through
AT the time of my visit, however, the bar
rier extended only to mid-channel, one
half having been carried away, probably
by logs, in the spring freshets. For this
accident, doubtless very annoying to the
Indians, | soon had every reason to be
grateful.
AS padded noiselessly into the funnel
and began to feel the current gathering
speed beneath me, and noted again the
confused, mysterious glimmer and gloon
of the forest into which l was drifting,
once more felt that unwOnted sense of dan
ger stealing over me. With a word o.
vexatiOn shook it off, and began to pad
die fiercely. At the same instant my eyes
grown keen and alert detected something
strange about the bit of Indian fence
which l was presently to pass. 1t wa!
surely very high and massive in its QUITE
section! stayed my paddle, yet KEEP
slipping quickly nearer. Then suddenly
arrested my progress with few mighty
backward strokes. Lying crouched fla
along the tops of the stakes, its head low
down, its eyes fixed upon me, was a huge
panther.
l was completely at loss, and for 4
minute OF two remained just where | was
backing water to resist the current, ant
trying to decide what was best to be done
AS long as l kept to the open water, o
course, was quite safe; but l didn't rel
ish the idea of spending the night on thu
lake. l knew enough of the habits anC
characteristics or the panther to be awar,
the brute would keep his eye on me as Ions
as / remained alone. But what / didn
know was how far panther could jump
Could l safely paddle past that fence b!
hugging the further shore? felt little in
clined to test the question practically; so
turned about and padded out upon thu
lake.