The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-05-25
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A MORE PRETENTTOUs RESIDENCE.
lFrom photograph by A. A. Hill
wearing moccasins and snowshoes. So
after adjusting everything we set out
across the lake. / should perhaps ex-
plain that l have never prided myself
on my prowess as sportsman, but this
is chiefly owing to lack of opportunity
and experience rather than TO zeal and
effort. This likewise was my first ex-
perience with snowshoes, although my
companion was TO the manner born in
this regard and started off with long
and easy strides which / endeavored to
emulate. l found, however, that about
the only requirement was TO swing along
as deliberately as possible, slightly
spreading the feet to prevent "interfer-
ing" While we were on the level I
found no difficulty whatever; my snow
shoes seemed in every way we'll behav-
ed, docile and amenable TO reason and
influence. But when we struck the hill
side beyond trouble began. Ny COM
panion took the lead. and l attempted to
follow without getting too far behind.
Suddenly and when l was not looking
my left snowshoe took occasion to dig
me in the side of the right shin. Soon
it lay hold of twig and hung so fast
that was thrown down, thus slightly
SCATTERING the usual firm foundation of
my patience. Meantime my companion
was strlding along ahead easily and re-
calling me with stories of the delights
of ptarmigan shooting. / finally asked
him 10 proceed bit slower, not on my
account-oh, no-but because had read
that old ptarmigan hunters always 90
deliberately, so as 10 cover the ground
thoroughly.
Battle With a snowshoe.
Finally my left snowshoe tripped me
again IN some way, taking me unawares
as before. When the gentleman who
was with me turned around and smiled. |
l can swear there was a wicked leer in
Its face just where thong was broken |
near the toe, but even then | was not |
inclined to be resentful. The air was
crisp and frosty, it had registered 20 |
degrees below zero at o'clock. we were |
on a mission of sport and there was no |
sense IN my spelling the day by getting |
mad the very first hour. Ii was not IN
til bad been annoyed again and again, |
having been two or three times tripped |
so quickly that / was thrown to the |
ground. that / resolved to have it out
then and there and learn which was
master. placed my gun against the |
limb Of tree and gave my left foot q |
twist by way Of challenge. Then began |
a battle royal, sometimes the left snow.
shoe being on top and sometimes / was |
on top myself Finally sank down ex.
hausted and was willing TO call it a |
drawn battle. Meantime my companion |
roared with laughter and fairly rolled |
in the snow with delight. After that
we seemed to get along all right enough |
that is, / and the snowshoe, although |
each was disposed to respect the dignity
and peculiarities of the other
Thus far we bad seen no ptarmigan.
In fact, / am little skeptical about wild
animal life in this country, for you may
walk miles and miles aud never see the
track Of bird or beast in the snow. So
Tar as / can learn the wildcat is the
most common Of any animals found
here. 1t is small animal, weighing
IIOin 81 W cO pOuuuS, anu the fur |
makes very light and pretty garments
indeed. Bears are also seen occasionally.
They are attracted TO the trail by the
bodies of dead horses, but farther back
n the country, as far as can learn. lit
lie signs of animal life are found. and
game is so scarce in the north that in
some places the Canadian officials have
% feed the Indians to keep them from
| am speaking, of course. of
he conditions as they exist at this sea-
on. This vast t-riIscry il breeding
,round of numberless ducks and geese.
md in summer the song Of the thrash
md robin can he heard, while, strange
} sly, hummirg birds are far more
icnty than in milder climates. | shall
ave occasion 20 verify this latter report
little later. but IL has occurred to me
hat the so called cumming birds may
q nothing but giant mosquitoes after
II.
PtarInigan Shooting.
But to retarn 10 my mutton, or rather
D my ptarmigan Finally We descended
nto n rayine where the stunted frs
,ere so thick as 90 be almost iDpeme.
rable. Just as we had about lost our
ouraQe and had decided 90 return TO
amp flock Of four or five few mp from
IA