nearly noon
The principal reason why the deer spend so much time in the water seems to be to get rid of a number of troublesome flies that very much annoy them . Some species of gadfly have the power not only to sting them , but to insert their eggs under the skin , which soon develops into a large grub . Some of the skins of the reindeer are so perforated by these pests that they are absolutely worthless to the Indians . Another reason why the deer were late in coming out into the lake was the fact that , as the summer was nearly gone , the nights were now long and cool ; and the gadflies being only troublesome in the warm hours of bright sunshine , it was nearly noon ere they came out from their forest retreats and plunged into the lake . A herd of reindeer swimming in the water is a very pretty sight . Having large lungs , and thus being very buoyant , they swim high in the water , and being good swimmers they make , when a number of them are disporting themselves undisturbed , a very beautiful picture . While our party of hunters were waiting in their shady retreat , secluded from observation , the Indians with as little noise as possible cut down and smoothly trimmed for use some poles .