| There is a time in spring where northern
canoe routes offer paddling without the pesky bugs of Canadian fame. Just after ice-out,
blackflies and mosquitos are few and those that show have no appetite yet. The leaves are
just starting and thus one can peer deep into forests that later will just be a wall of
green. Loons are back to haunt the lakes with their wail, and White-throated Sparrows
trill their cheerful Oh-Sweet- Canada-Canada-Canada in
the sunshine. On May 8, we set out
on just such a trip. Anywhere north of Sudbury would be fine, but on this trip we chose a
lake with some pictographs as a destination. We had never been there before nor did we
know the precise location of this Native sacred place. Thus there would be a search along
the shore of a large lake and hopefully we would find it. So, off we went, from busy city
streets to highways and eventually down a long logging road to the put-in shore. |
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It took us over a day to get to our lake. Three people in a boat made
portaging easy and, on the water, the person in the middle could stop paddling and scour
the forest and shores for wildlife or anything else that might be interesting. |
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A mallard nest was hidden underneath a
cedar beside the shore. A grouse had some time earlier thumped his wings in a
spring display, and left a dusty bath of sand behind. Rattlesnake plantain grew beside the
portage and displayed its intricate net of veins. There was significant wildlife
about, as wolf scat beside the portage and the occasional moose track revealed.
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Camp sites were not frequent nor luxurious, but there were a
few that were good enough for comfort. On the first few days, clear skies blessed us and
we picked open places.
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Then the skies threatened with rain, and we looked for a more sheltered
site. A tarp was put up and the kitchen set up underneath. I tried out my new Trangia
stove: it burns alcohol and is quiet - a real boon when fixing breakfast in the peace of
the morning hour. |
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 Once at the destination lake, we followed the shore line and scanned
the cliff faces for the tell-tale ochre marks.
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Cliff after cliff yielded nothing, but about half way up the lake we
found it: a rocky outcrop with a sheer drop, and a rock shelf below a huge overhang. |
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| A smooth surface has been covered with age-old patina, and there we found
lines, forked sticks,.... |
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...an X, some figures that might once have been animals and the best of
all, a shaman with power radiating from his head. |
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We snapped pictures, tried to stay subdued and left some offering - no, we
did not bring the traditional tobacco and thus some pecan nuts had to suffice. |
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It was a glimpse into a world unknown to us - yet so enthralling. We must
respect and honour these signs from the past - they are witness to a people that were one
with the mountains, forests and creatures. |
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| Then, we left this magical place and worked our way back to roads, cities
and our lives. But what a memory to take with us and hold in our hearts...! |
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