248 CRANBEURY LAKE. THE 



where navigat ion for our tiny craft became difficult, and 

 beyond which were " The Plains," those singular, open, 

 treeless regions, natural pasture.- for deer, found here and 

 there throughout the wilderness, how caused, nobody 

 knows, we met two gentlemen and their guide coming 

 down the river, returning from an unsuccessful excursion 

 above. AYe were about twenty four miles from the home 

 camp, and deemed it unwise, with our limited time, to 

 proceed further. \Ve turned about, slowly fishing down 

 stream, while our new-found a->ociaies pushed rapidly on 

 to their proposed camp, where tliey invited us to join them 

 at our leisure. 



On our way up si ream, my guide had pointed out a 

 noted pool, called " < 'ai^eV Spring Hole." at the outlet of 

 Cage's Lake, or IJladder Pond. I had made a few 

 without raising a tin. On our return, the sun was a little 

 obscured by clouds and had begun to dip below the tree-tops 

 which cast a mild shadow over the pool. I approached it 

 with the uTealest care, resolved that here, if anywhere. I 

 must take my big trout. The main .stream, scarcely ten 

 feet wide at that point, came down like the heavy arm of 

 the capital Idler " Y," the small, rapid inlet being the 

 lighter arm, and the two forming, at their junction, a deep 

 pool nearly circular, and from fort}' to fifty feet in diam- 

 eter. 



As soon as we had emerged from the green alders sulli 

 ciently to permit casting, my guide checked the boat and 

 held it with his paddle. 1 threw my best skill into the 

 effort, and laid a fly on the placid \\ater a> ueiill\ 



