222 CANADIAN WILDS. 



One. that was killed in this way measured 

 thirty-nine inches long and weighed thirty-five 

 pounds. A fish of this size was good eating, and 

 therefore used at the post. 



The small, slimy ones, however, were burned 

 in numbers on a brush heap. 



With such persistent . and continued on- 

 slaught on our part, at the end of the first year 

 their numbers were very noticeably decreased, 

 and at the close of the following summer they 

 were positively scarce, and a very welcome num- 

 ber of whitefish stocked our lake in their place. 



I resided at that post for twelve years, and 

 we were never in want of the finest fish for the 

 post's consumption. 



Before closing this sketch I must tell one 

 anecdote about a pike, even if I lay myself open 

 to be disbelieved by the reader. I am well aware 

 that fish stories stand in bad repute and the 

 veracity of the narrator doubted. The follow- 

 ing is positively true and came under my notice : 



Years before the foregoing part of my story 

 happened I was stationed on the height of land 

 north of Lake Superior, and one afternoon port- 

 aged my canoe over into a small chain of beaver 

 lakes hunting for signs." 



It was a "still, calm day," as some high-flown 

 writer would put it. 



