Freshwater Saga

Morse, who died last year, was a lifelong canoeing enthusiast and here describes in detail his adventures on the lakes and rivers of the Canadian Shield. In 1952, he and several diplomats in the fledgling United Nations began their annual canoe treks, which are the focus of this book. Dubbed the voyageurs, after the early Canadian traders, they followed the fur routes of the country's early settlers. Morse's rather dry style is enlivened by earthy anecdotes about various mishaps and glowing descriptions of the Canadian wilderness. The author assumes the reader is familiar with esoteric canoeing terms and Canadian history, but wilderness enthusiasts will be inspired by the author's middle-aged exploitshe was 49 when the voyageurs first set offand armchair travelers will be glad to be removed from the fearsome insects, blazing sun and summer snowstorms that the authors and his hardy companions encountered. Photos and maps not seen by PW. (July)