Evening star., 1928-09-09

to shoot the fa..s and rapids. of which
there are any number on the Brule.
And guide is expected to be intelli-
gent.
| TO write about the Presidents Sum-
I1er of fishing on the Brule and
about the capabilities of George Babb,
his instructor, 1t is highly essential to
say something about the Brule River
itself. To lover of picturesque. wild
stream in country that has all the
appearance of being primitive, this
river is in a class by itself. It is ap-
pealing, not because it is reputed TO
rank as one of the best trout streams
in the United States, nor yet because
of the fact that two Presidents have
flshed on it-Coolidge and Cleveland
but because of its interesting history.
There is charm about this stream.
Aside from its real beauty and wild at
tractiveneSS. 1t has an intriguing his
tory reaching far back into the past,
when the white man first dared this
wilderness. Credit is given to Sieur
Daniel de Greysolon du L'hut,
French explorer and gentleman ad-
venturer and trader, in whose honor
the city of Duluth was named, for
discovering the Brule. That was
French translation of the Indian name
t the river, meaning burnt wood. Du
L hut was in search of a waterway from
Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico
when he entered the Brule. He had
little to guide him save what seemed
to be fanciful tales of his Chippewa
COMPANIONS. but he travelled the stream
from its mouth to its head, few miles
north of st. Croix River, which flows
into the Mississippi. BY means of a
portage of not quite six miles this river
became the connecting ling between the
Northwest and the Gulf of Mexico. In
this way it figured prominently in the
carrying OF commerce, especially during
that romantic period of the coureurs
de bois and later during the early DAYS
of the fur traders
The Brule ran through the heart of
the Chippewa country and it has been
the witness to many conflicts between
the Chippewas and their enemy. the
Sioux. About 80 years ago these rivals
fought their last and probably most
terrific battle on the Brule. and ac-
counts of that conflict speak of the
stream as running red with Indian
blood" on that occasion.
There are cabins and elaborate Sum-
mer camps along the banks of the
Brule now, but for the most part
throughout its length It traverses a sec
ton that Is virtually wilderness in its
virgin and primitive state. When one
Is canoeing along the stream it is not
difficult to imagine being many miles
removed from civilization. All is so
still. 1t is just the sort of background
that causes one to expect to see the
nose of birch bark canoe poking
around the bend ahead, manned by a
painted redskin or by some dark
skinned, wrapped coureur de bois
or by stern-looking fur trader.
1t is beautiful stream. 1t is hardly
wide and deep enough to be called a
river. At times its waters are as still
as a pond. and upon the surface the
trees and growth on the shores are re-
fected as though by a huge mirror.
Then little distance ahead the water
takes on speed. A series of rapids and
finally falls follow. And so 1t runs its
length for nearly 40 miles to Lake Su-
perior. There are wild animals In the
wilderness on each side of the Brule-
deer, black bears. otters, foxes and some
wildcats and wolves The moose has
long since disappeared Along the shore
lines there are many b. yer villages
and countless muskrat and mink holes.
There is considerable bird life, and 1t is
doubtful If the hermit thrush sings
more earnestly or sweetly than he does
along this picturesque stream.