200 THE THOUSAXD ISLES. 
densely wooded than now, trusting for his support to his 
rod and line — for he rarely dared to use his rifle — and to 
the scanty supplies brought by his daughter ; the latter 
residing on shore watching for any expedition that 
' might be fitted out against him, and at the first intima- 
tion darting ofiP in her light canoe in spite of rain or 
storm, in the daylight or impenetrable darkness, and 
arriving at her retreat, perhaps just in time to warn him 
of his danger and enable him to escape. Imagine the 
woman's ready wit, ever at work, ever on the watch for 
him; imagine the father's joy on seeing her amid his 
trying and wearisome solitude, and her anxiety till he 
is once more out of danger. The thought that such 
things had really happened so near to where we then 
vv^ere, added to our excitement, and was only dissipated 
on passing Whisky Island, which is in dangerous prox- 
imity to the former. 
Our boat was headed down-stream and driven before 
the strong wind ; we moved rapidly with varying suc- 
cess till we arrived at one little shoal, the name of which 
I have forgotten, or it never existed, and where we found 
fish innumerable. Frequently every hook on both 
lines was engaged ; often I landed three, sometimes four, 
and once or twice five fish at a time. The sport was 
w^onderfully exciting ; first one rod bent, then the other ; 
and then, while I was busy foiling the struggles of fish 
so numerous that they made the water foam, I would see 
with a feeling of despair the other rod bend and the line 
slowly render round the reel. It was impossible to move 
faster, useless to hurry ; but, as quickly as I could and 
dared, the fish were brought to net. This shoal was 
