222 AMERICAN GAME FISHES. 



cost nearly five dollars. Please remember that this was 

 almost thirty years ago. That rod was well worth its price, 

 and money wouldn't buy it, for I have it still. It is good 

 even yet, although the butt, after many years of faithful serv- 

 ice, took such a ''set" that I replaced it with another; thereby 

 reducing the weight of the rod some three ounces. I seldom 

 use it, but the many memories which attach to this old rod 

 are such as I can associate with none other in my collec- 

 tion. 



The Trout were soon tired out, and duly transferred to our 

 basket, where, lying on a bed of fern, tliey furnished food for 

 pleasurable anticipations for the remainder of the trip. They 

 weighed respectively one, and one and a quarter pounds, and 

 were much the same with a score of others taken that evening 

 on my rod. I am, however, obliged to confess that Aleck 

 beat me, not in numbers but in weight. I had, however, 

 returned to the water several half-pounders, while Aleck 

 kept all his fish. His catch aggregated thirteen in number, 

 one of which weighed over four pounds. 



The wind arose as we left the lake, and a drizzling rain 

 set in, which with occasional intermissions continued through- 

 out my stay. 



During an interval of sunshme, I rode over to the mill- 

 dam, where I found a native, equipped with a small rifle and 

 a "jigger." He had shot a "spruce grouse," the plumage of 

 which was nearly black; and had captured a Trout weighing 

 some three pounds. He looked with disfavor upon my flies, 

 and said that they were well enough to play with, but 

 wouldn't fetch the Trout. 



I cast my flies upon the surface of the foaming current, when 

 they floated downward to the edge of a little eddy, and dis- 

 appeared from view. There was a savage strike, and a great 

 Trout dashed half-way across the stream and sprang into the 

 air. He was fast to the jay-fly, and I at once renewed a res- 

 olution I had previously formed, but neglected to carry out— 



