124 NEW BRUNSWICK. 
the rings and the reel hissing with the speed. He made 
a splendid leap and paused. 
I had just time to tell Abraham to swing his boat off 
the rock where she was resting, when the fish started 
again. Down he darted ; the rod bent, the line flying 
through the water, and after him came the pursuers. 
He hesitated an instant above the worst rapids, and then 
sped down them ; once in a while I could see him amid 
the foam and flying spray, as he rolled himself half out 
of water over some heavy wave ; but my attention 
was occupied in keeping the line clear of rocks, and not 
exerting too much strain upon it. Admirably did 
Abraham handle the canoe. He was alone ; the water 
seethed and boiled round us broken into a mass of flerce 
waves, small cascades and gleaming foam. It poured 
with raging current over high bowlders, and swept be- 
tween narrow rocks. He stood erect in the stern, his 
eye taking the measure of every falls, the strength of 
every eddy ; he swung the canoe's head first one way 
then another, easing her down over the higher waves, 
that, curling against the stream, broke over the bow in 
mimic showers, and pushing strongly through the circ- 
ling eddies. E"ot a rock did he touch, not a moment did 
the boat escape from perfect command, and when we 
were lannched upon the quiet bosom of the deep pool at 
the foot of Burnt Hill Rapids, the fish was on the line. 
We each drew a long breath and again exchanged 
glances. It was a beautiful spot to kill a fish. The 
water, all white and raging above, formed a broad eddy, 
that washed the base of the rock on which I now stood. 
Although there was still a strong current in the centre, 
