After walking all day through brush and bog, I came out, late in the afternoon, on the shore of a large and beautiful lake. At first there was nothing to indicate that people had ever been there before. But when I stepped out on a log that had fallen across the mouth of a stream I looked down into the dark flowing water and made the shape of a boat. It was a flat-bottom job, probably built right there from lumber hauled in over winter trails by toboggan. I removed the rocks that were holding it down, dumped out the mud and water, and hauled it across the log. Then I axed out a clumsy paddle from driftwood, put my pack in the boat, and maneuvered down the shore to a good camping spot, stopping on the way to take in a walleye that went for my trailing spoonhook. Next day when I was finished with the little scow I sank it again where I found it. Fishing was good in the lake. There were ducks on its surface and deer and partridge on its shore. I came back many times, always raising, using, and resinking the boat. Sometimes its position would be changed a little, so it was also being used, either by its owners or by some other trespasser. But we never met.

After walking all day through brush and bog, I came out, late in the afternoon, on the shore of a large and beautiful lake. At first there was nothing to indicate that people had ever been there before. But when I stepped out on a log that had fallen across the mouth of a stream I looked down into the dark flowing water and made the shape of a boat. It was a flat-bottom job, probably built right there from lumber hauled in over winter trails by toboggan. I removed the rocks that were holding it down, dumped out the mud and water, and hauled it across the log. Then I axed out a clumsy paddle from driftwood, put my pack in the boat, and maneuvered down the shore to a good camping spot, stopping on the way to take in a walleye that went for my trailing spoonhook. Next day when I was finished with the little scow I sank it again where I found it. Fishing was good in the lake. There were ducks on its surface and deer and partridge on its shore. I came back many times, always raising, using, and resinking the boat. Sometimes its position would be changed a little, so it was also being used, either by its owners or by some other trespasser. But we never met.