Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1909-07-16
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BETWEEN THE CATARACTs.
BY Frank Lille Pollock.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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The Trent River runs a tumultuous
course among the Canadian rocks be-
fore 1t finally tumbles into Lake Su-
perior. 1t is so broken that in most
parts passage In canoe means as
much carrying as padding, and the
shores are so rugged and covered
with tangled underground that travel
afoot verges on the impossible Prob
ably the difficulty OF fishing 1t has
helped to keep it one of the best trout
streams on the North Shore.
A camping party from Duluth, con-
sisting of Walter Pearson and his
brother Joe, with three companions,
four canoes and five Indian guides,
attempted it last summer. however,
and reached a point about fifteen
miles from the river-mouth. Here the
party stopped, and a couple of days
later Walter and Joe dropped down
the stream in one of the canoes to
try the river a mile or two below
camp.
There were rapids, on an average,
every fifty yards, but most of them
could be run. Between them were
stretches of deep. rapid water, where
the big fish lay. If they had wished.
they could have half-hlled their canoe
with small trout; but anything under
a pound went back into the water
again, and they even began to despise
any fish that did not give ten min
ute's fight before being landed.
About a mile and a half below
camp, however, they came to diff
cult rapid, which had been audible for
a long time. Here the water rushed
through and over a medley of irreg-
ular boulders, and then, after some
ten rods of smooth, swift current,
poured down a cataract Of several
feet. Huge black rocks. split and
tumbled, broke-up the cascade, and
the hoarse roar filled the pine woods
with sound.
Even If the first rapid could. be
negotiated, the second certainly was
impossible. The intervening space
looked exceedingly promising, how
ever, and as there is hardly room
for two fy-rods in a canoe, Walter
landed to fish from the bank. joe
then dropped down as near as he
dared to the rapid, anchored the
canoe to a boulder by a buckskin
thong, and began to throw his flies
into the foamy water just at the foot
of the fall.
Here the shore was lesff encum-
bered than usual. the Tickets were
farther from the water, and Walter
had reasonable space for his back
cast. There were trout between the
cataracts, rs they had guessed. Wal
ter was kept busy from his first cast,
and when he had time to glance at
Joe's proceedings, his brother seemed
to be equally fortunate.
But at one of these hurried chances
his eye caught something that ap-
palled him. The buckskin loop that
held the straining canoe seemed to be
in danger of slipping from its hold on
the rock.
He shouted, but the roar of the
water drowned his voice. He hurried
up the bank opposite the canoe. 1t
was true, the thong was slipping from
its hold. 1t is difficult to tie a rope
round a rock with security.
He yelled again, but Joe had Just
hooked FISH, and his attention was
fully absorbed. At this, Walter took
to throwing stones. He succeeded
finally in sending one with a thump
into the canoe, and Joe looked up.
He caught the direction of his broth
er's pointing arm. glanced astern. and
seemed to grasp the danger like a
flash.
He dropped his rod and snatched
at the paddle, but 1t was too late. The
loop slipped free, the canoe shot for
ward, and before Joe could dip the
paddle overheard, it whirled broad
side on into the rapids.
Instantly it capsized Joe went out
of sight in the foam and water, and
then Walter saw him floating down
on the current below the rapid. He
was on his back, with his face Just
above water. and he did not move a
limb.
Walter shouted again, but got no
response. Joe had not been sub
merged long enough to be drowned,
but he had evidently been knocked
senseless against the stones.
Then Walter realized the new and
greater danger. Joe was drifting
rapidly head foremost toward the sec
ond cataract. and no one could dive
down that fall and live. The rocks
at the bottom of this cascade would
brain the strongest swimmer.
Walter dropped his rod and rushed
into the water The strength of the
swirling current came near sweeping
him from his feet It was clearly too
deep to wade and he was a poor SWIM |
mer. He knew well that he could |
never reach his brother in time. They |
would go over the fall together.
Joe was more than thirty feet from
shore. Walter thought of long
pole. and splashed madly ashore |
again. He caught sight Of his fishing \
rod. with its hundred yards Of strong |
and perfect silk line on the reel.
Joe was now about twenty yards |
above the cascade. and it seemed to
Walter that he was moving slightly |
as he drifted, that he was beginning |
to struggle as if he were coming to
his senses. But it was too late TO
swim, and struggling would only put |
his head under water.
Rod in hand Walter ran into the
river again as far as he dared to go, |
His brother was twenty feet farther
out and coming down fast. He
measured the distance with his eye,
reeled out the line, waving the rod in
the air. and then. with turn Of his