28o The Wilderness Hunter 



of the Brook about equally productive. Small fish not plenty, 

 in either. So many hooks get everything which is not hid 

 away in the manner large trouts take care of themselves. I 

 hooked one, which I suppose to be larger than any which I 

 took, as he broke my line, by fair pulling, after I had pulled 

 him out of his den, & was playing him in fair open water. 



Of what I send you, I pray you keep what you wish your- 

 self, send three to Mr. Ticknor, & three to Dr. Warren; or 

 two of the larger ones, to each will perhaps be enough & if 

 there be any left, there is Mr. Callender & Mr. Blake, & Mr. 

 Davis, either of them not "averse to fish." Pray let Mr. Davis 

 see them especially the large one. As he promised to come, 

 & fell back, I desire to excite his regrets. I hope you will 

 have the large one on your own table. 



The day was fine not another hook in the Brook. John 

 steady as a judge and everything else exactly right. I never, 

 on the whole, had so agreeable a day's fishing tho' the result, 

 in pounds or numbers, is not great; nor ever expect such 

 another. 



Please preserve this letter; but rehearse not these particu- 

 lars to the uninitiated. 



I think the Limerick not the best hook. Whether it pricks 

 too soon, or for what other reason, I found or thought I 

 found the fish more likely to let go his hold, from this, than 

 from the old-fashioned hook. 



YRS. 



D. WEBSTER. 

 H. CABOT, Esq. 



The greatest of Americans, Washington, was 

 very fond of hunting, both with rifle and fowling- 

 piece, and especially with horse, horn, and hound. 

 Essentially the representative of all that is best in 

 our national life, standing high as a general, high as 

 a statesman, and highest of all as a man, he could 



