Page:Harper's New Monthly Magazine - v109.djvu/988

916 risk. The mere facing of the cold is bad, but there are perils—sudden and appalling. The professional fisherman sets out in the winter as near five o'clock in the morning as possible. Often he goes ten or fifteen miles to the fishing- ground, and by early afternoon the fish, famished as they are, have ceased to bite in commercial quantities.

The deepest dark which comes before the dawn—and in midwinter the dawn is still far off—meets the fisherman at the start. The thermometer is quite as often as not well below zero. The wind, driving in over the bleak levels of ice, bites and freezes, until human flesh is unequal to the attack. In fact, the fishermen frequently venture out only with a mask of some thick stuff, with holes cut for eyes and mouth. In truth, a follower of the gentle craft of Izaak Walton under these circumstances goes about his work in the disguise and with the look of a train-robber. A request for your money or your life might seem more likely than a cheery "Morning."

The dogs with almost arctic hardihood scarcely appeared to feel the cold. Indeed, their high spirits were the only enlivening features of the expedition. They are of all kinds—or perhaps in most cases one might more properly say that each is all kinds of dogs in one. Specimens are to be found which might seem to offer an entire bench show in one exhibit. For the most part, however, they are distinguishable and creditable examples of mongrel breeds, and some are very good examples. They trotted away with the sleigh containing food, bait, material for the "wind screen," and all needed for the work of day.

When day broke, the lake was dotted as far as the eye could see with separate fishermen or isolated groups. The canvas guards fastened to poles set in the ice keep off the blasts, for the hardiest cannot sit or stand with no exercise but the lifting and lowering of the fishing-line without such protection. The hole cut upon arrival at the proper place is about six or eight inches across, and through this the hook with its bait of minnows is lowered. A peculiar arrangement enables the watcher to take a few steps occasionally and beat the hands for warmth and yet know when he has a "bite." A crosspiece of perhaps a foot is fastened to a stick of perhaps two feet. To the shorter end of the longer piece beyond the crosspiece the line is attached. The crosspiece is put athwart the hole, the longer end of the stick extending over the ice. When a fish swallows the bait the long end is lifted up, notifying the fisherman of his prize. From the nature of the device the name "tie-up" is understandable. Indeed, with the use of this contrivance a number of holes may be cut and a single man watch a number of lines.

For hours the fishermen stay at their posts. We found one man, more luxurious than the others, seated directly on an oil-stove, an interposed board serving for protection. The most of them,