I discovered
the place in an interesting way.
One evening at twilight, as I was returning to camp from exploring the
upper lake, I heard a wild crying of loons on the west side. There
seemed to be five or six of the great divers, all laughing and
shrieking like so many lunatics. Pushing over to investigate, I
noticed for the first time the entrance to a great bay, and paddled up
cautiously behind a point, so as to surprise the loons at their game.
For they play games, just as crows do. But when I looked in, there was
only one bird, Hukweem the Inquisitive. I knew him instantly by his
great size and beautiful markings. He would give a single sharp call,
and listen intently, with head up, swinging from side to side as the
separate echoes came ringing back from the hills. Then he would try
his cackling laugh, _Ooo-ah-ha-ha-ha-hoo, ooo-ah-ha-ha-ha-hoo_, and as
the echoes began to ring about his head he would get excited, sitting
up on his tail, flapping his wings, cackling and shrieking with glee
at his own performance.
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