BIRCH BROWSINGS. 233 



about the size of a breakfast - plate was 

 cleared of sediment and decayed vegetable 

 matter, revealing the pebbly bottom, fresh 

 and bright, with one or two fish suspended 

 over the centre of it, keeping watch and 

 ward. If an intruder approached, they 

 would dart at him spitefully. These fish 

 have the air of bantam cocks, and with their 

 sharp, prickly fins and spines, and scaly sides, 

 must be ugly customers in a hand to hand 

 encounter with other finny warriors. To a 

 hungry man they look about as unpromising 

 as hemlock slivers, so thorny and thin are 

 they ; yet there is sweet meat in them, as we 

 found that day. 



Much refreshed I set out, with the sun- 

 low in the west, to explore the outlet of the 

 lake and try for trout there, while my com- 

 panions made further trials in the lake it- 

 self. The outlet, as is usual in bodies of 

 water of this kind, was very gentle and pri- 

 vate. The stream, six or eight feet wide, 

 flowed silently and evenly along for a dis- 

 tance of three or four rods, when it suddenly, 

 as if conscious of its freedom, took a leap 

 down some rocks. Thence, as far as I fol- 

 lowed it, its descent was very rapid, through 

 a continuous succession of brief falls, like so 



