The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1913-10-01
Fishing and Hunting In Canada.

~"Jackish, Jackhshl" Though nothing
Is visible in the dusk outside, something
is evidently about to happen, tr the long
lain alters its motion, as the brakes are
applied, and comes to a painful stop, even
as the three sportsmen hit the platform.
followed CLOSELY by tumbling bigs and
paraphernalian im~pedlmenta reminiscent
of the immigrant. No town to be seen;
merely a northern sky, n harsh outline OF
rocks and shore, and the vast shadow of
coal dock over the lake and perhaps a
few lights ~twinkling In the bay, where a
steamer is lying. The train is gone; In
place OF the music of the rails, which Tor
twenty. four hours had not been still,
most desolate silence. Yet that moment
is at hand for which they have waited
with all a sportsman's anticipation. And
this is the way one arrives in Jack Fish.
The next day the party is of for Clear
water Lake. The canoes go ahead, borne,
one by the Indian aud the other by the
guide, like Antipodes in shoes, "-or
maybe the Indian, who is a redoubtable
porter and has carried tour hundre
pounds a distance of twenty chains, bears
his canoe, a sixteen footer, canvas COW
cred, simply upon one shoulder. 1t is a
grand sight TO see him heave II into place.
Jud, the guide. has come up in the night
AhOhN Az "0oN ~ ~ ~" hhHRI 80 N.N
woods again. Behind tho two described
marches a man in 'henskin" shoes; with
a rolling gait unmistakable to those who
have once seen 1t, carrying slung about
hun various implements of his trade,
which is angling. Behind him, two boys,
keen 10 get at the river, each perhaps
with a notion that his particular phantom
minnow or his frogged hook will capture
the largest fish.
The first camp Is on the Upper Rapids
at the outlet OF Mountain Lake. Here, in
the deep waters OF the lake above the
first falls one rainy afternoon, of the
black rocks of the shore Asher hooks,
steers about and loses a trout rightly, be
cause he played deep, pronounced enor-
nous. The line broke. The Great ltsl-
ian silk failed in the moment OF trial.
From this camp an excursion Is made up
the lake to the upper river, which we as
cend TO a point opposite a small and shall
low pond where moose may be feeding,
There at evening is seen, no moose to be
sure, but a "red deer" which gives the
two human spectators a pretty perform
snce; frisking like a lsmG, bounding side
ways like a kitten, willing apparently to
stand on his heed, without thought OF an
eye upon him. lie is in the PUSHES that
fringe the lake and the canoe is drifting
gently near. Suddenly the deer catches
danger signal; be moves away with long,
flying bounds, tail straight up as he
starts; then halts again farther on, still in
the rushy border. But the spell is bro
ken; the deer is aroused from his uncon-
scious playing, and soon we can scarcely
see him. Later q boil bob! sound from
the hillside tells us what has frightened
him; q bull moose, moving down To feed.
But we must get back to camp while
there is still light to see. Another time
at evening we may hear loud snortings in
the brush from a wild nostril but never
see the deer. One expects to see caribou
-~"adik"-snd moose, not deer; at least,
not so far north. On the way back down
the lake to the old camp the wind blows
up strong from the south. Why is 1t that
the wind is always against you on the
lakes? So it had been when we went up
and SO it was when we went back next
day.
The best fishing came later in the lower
rapids. Perhaps the liveliest sport was
with the fly, right in the white water
among the slippery stones. The largest
fish caught was three pounds, about
twenty-five inches in length, unfortu-
nately a rainbow, not native to these
wilds. The finest brook trout was one
taken on a fly; this fish. broad and beau
tifully colored, was 1875 inches long.
Towards the end the company made it a
rule to keep no trout under a foot long.
In the evenings or at dull hours the
party listened to unequalled stories from
Jud; how once, for instance, hunting with
a deaf but eager Englishmsn, he told
him, "Moose, moose!" as the animal
came out into the lake where they were
waiting; whereat the sportsman raises
his gun aloft and franticslly scans the
skies. -"0h, l thought you said goose"
says he, after the moose is gone. The
Ojibway was more sparing of words, his
voice like a deep, bubbly swamp. mike"
W. ask him shave any garden up here?"
"Yes." "Whel?" "Onion - carrot-po-
tat -turnip-thst's ALL" All this with a
pause between each word and the next.
AT length the trip, like all things
earthly, is over and we are back on Lake
Superior again, and waiting for our train.
Yet, once visited, the North Shore is not
after ward easily forgotten. pictures
will haunt your memory, of indescriba-
bly, broad sunsets, of a tumbling stream
under a low cave of sky" People who
have been to the North Shore always
come back,
Who hath seen the birch log burning?
Who hath smelled wood smoke at twi-
light7
f. WITHERELL, Endeavor, Pa.
A. r. WHEELER, Eudeavor. Pa.
l.. K. WHEELER, POrtville, N. Y.
August, 1918.