Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1906-02-15
A Mysterious
Passenger.
By Frank Lille Pollock.

A~>.~~~~-~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~O~S~>
The shape of Big Spoon Lake, in the
Lake Of Bays district Of northern On
tario, is much like that OF DUMB
bell with the narrow connecting strait
wat into a curve The rocky shores
sre tangled with cedar and spruce, and
upon the only smooth spot on the up
per portion of the lake White and his
classmates had been encamped FOR
four days, It was a college party from
the University OF Toronto, consisting
Of three students and two lecturers.
and they had gone into the woods for
two weeks of canoeing and fishing.
White had gone out alone that after
uoon, and had padded down to the
lower end of the lake Finding the
wind too high for f1y-casting on the
open water, he had drifted down the
outlet. the Big Spoon River. 1t was
typical northern Canadian stream, mar
row, swift, foaming over small cas-
cades and rapids, most OF which
canoe could run: and at the foot
Of the broken water lay the big fish.
Twilight surprised White with twen-
ty-Hye pounds of bass and six miles
from camp. The distance was trif1e,
but It was impossible to ascend the
river as rapidly as he had come down,
And the easily run rapids had to be
Aortaged. The day had closed cloudily
with carly darkness and the wind ris-
Ing still higher and night had fallen
before he reached the lake.
The strong wind was blowing sapare-
y across his course. sending the black
aaves crashing against the rocks. The
aarE woods upon the shore had faded
asealiIy cut OF sight. The sky grew
absolutely h!aels. without even q streak
u colo! 10 the west.
For the next half hour White strug-
sled over the lake in the deepening
aarkness, lifting the plunging canoe
"i'h desperate paddle strokes, and
seeming to make leeway faster than he
forged ahead. The darkness grew inky
without his noticing it; he could not
even see the bow Of the canoe that
pitched under the regular slap, SLAP
Vt the waves.
he was bending harii over the paddle
s'eerlng diagonally into the wind
"hen the canoe suddenly heeled gent
but heavily to port. White threw
ais weight on the other side to avoid
capsi2e, thinking that he had rur
Upon sunken snag.
But almost Immediately he fell
through the sensitive cedar craft thai
'oine heavy weight had attached itselt
y the port bow. It was alive; ht
could feel the quiver. 1t was exactl.
as II swimmer had grasped the gun
vale and was coming aboard. Blu
aFaln his eyes as he would. he cOul
a!aAe OFT nothing through the pitch
sar''ness.
There was slight thud on the prov
a shock and the canoe righted. B.
ne could feel that there was sQmethir
IN the bow that was almost equal
MS own weight. He stopped paddli1
N sort Of instructive terror.
No nv UCCu q HlCuCQfV0N0uldA
would probably have jumped owe
BOARD, and it he had reached land
would have been with q new and pc
fetty circumstantial ghost-story.
For almost q minute White sat hal
Pafalyzed, expecting to be seized
me leg by lie knew not what o,
'h'ng was certain-the thing in t
canoe could not be human.
Common sense told him that
must be an animal, and as his frig
hegan to abate, his curiosity awake
eo' He struck a match on the gu
yale.
1t was instantly blown out by t
wind, but at the flash the thing in t
DOW set up a piteous moaning, so Ii
'S Sobhtng of frightened child Il
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