The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-06-26

made the trip in fifteen minutes. |
told him which way | had gone and
he plunged ahead with the rest OF us
stringing out behind. 1t was only
ten or fifteen minutes trip from there
before we struck the welcome sands
of Lac Commandant, or as some lum-
Der companies show it on their maps,
Lake Alonquin. Dupuis summed up
the proper description of the trail by
saying: THE trail she is so crooked
| wouldn't take my dog along it for
fear she would break her tail.
1t was beginning to show signs of
evening SO we didn't waste much
time resting, but after having good
drink, Jerry, Dupuis and myself with
two packs took to the canoe and head
ed up the lake. 1t was a very beau
tiful part of the evening and the lake
was very still. The reflections OF
the heavily wooded shores in the still
water made wonderful scenes. We
had more work to do so we just
ploughed ahead and after good part
of an hours padding we landed at
Bayles Camp, near the north end OF
the lake.
After unloading our pack. Jerry re-
turned for the other two fellows
while Dupuis and myself proceeded to
the camp and made ourselves at home.
We got the blankets down from the
rafters and soon had good cam
boose fire going. Dupuis started the
cocoa and Immediately afterwards
/ large pail of batter for pancakes.
| brought more water and proceeded
to wash up the tin dishes which had
been creased to keep from rusting.
Dupuis soon had an ever increas-
ing pile of pancakes near the fire
and when we thought the rest of the
fellows were getting near home we
! started another frying pan going and
by the time they arrived the pile was
foot high, each cake being a foot
in diameter.
We had pail of strawberry jam
which we ate on the cake and with
! plenty of cocoa 20 wash them down.
we had a fine supper We were all
very hungry and from my feeling l
! had prophesied that | could eat half
dozen pancakes, but by the time |
/ had finished one | wondered what the
! trouble was. / am not superstitious
but after being very hungry and then
| feeling quite satisfied after eating a
little was somewhat disappointing es-
pecially after making plans to dis
pose of at least half a dozen cakes,
/ | made up my mind the cakes must
be loaded with an appetite killer and
tackled the second one, but 1t was
like a banquet and ! decided half a
dozen were enough for a whole day
Dupuis would take pancake, eat
half and then say, Poor Bingo, the
dog is terribly hungry" and then give
him the rest of his pancake. In this
/ way he managed to dispose of three
or four of his banquet tablets.
Boyles washed the dishes and after
arranging our bedding in the hunks
we all turned in. Dupuis making
use of the soft side of birch log for
a pillow. We expected all kinds of
me- kitocs to visit us before morn
ingVdt we escaped, although the door
was wide open, Boyles, Jerry and
Bingo slept in the lower hunks, max
ing fine meat for any wandering
bears, wolves and skunks but none
came to bother them. Dupuis, Nor
lidge and myself bumped our heads
on the rafters above in the upper
berths of our pullman.
Everyone slept well and long. l
had expected Jerry or Dupuis would
be up early but they evidently liked
to have a little sleep once in awhile
the same as the tenderfoot. We
turned out about seven and had
breakfast. after which Jerry and Du-
puts took the birch bark canoe from
the shack and went trolling while
Boyles and Morlidge went in our
canoe. did little casting from
shore and held my camera handy for
photographs.
1t was not long before we heard a
little excitement around Jerry's and
Dupuis canoe so we thought they
must have landed a three or four
FOUNDER. but when. they padded near
us they held up a ten pound pike.
Numerous catches were made and |
called Jerry and Dupuis over to my
side of the lake when they got hold
of their next large one. They tried