90 A YEAR OF LIBERTY ; OR, 



if we add that the gi'eatest possible breadth and depth were com- 

 bined with the least possible length, the reader will have a fair 

 idea of a Belvidere trout in May. Then the stern got a little job ; 

 by and by bow was again fortunate ; and so we fished and floated, 

 every now and then pulling to windward for a fresh drift. About 

 half -past two an excellent " rise" came over the lake ; opposite a low- 

 wooded point on the eastern shore I struck a fish, evidently a good 

 one, and in a second after Willie's turn came. The difficulty was 

 to prevent fouling ; so long as skill could do it, they were kept 

 apart ; but after ten or twelve minutes' manoeuvring, a cross became 

 inevitable. One fish was raised as much as the delicate tackle would 

 afford ; rods were exchanged, and the danger was over ; but half an 

 hour expired before both were on board, and they proved by far the 

 best we took in Belvidere during our stay, the pair weighing nothing 

 less than 101b. Soon after this success the ''rise" fell off, and 

 before five o'clock had ceased. But we had not yet done with the 

 trout, as the chef requested permission, or rather announced his 

 intention of dressing a fish dinner for '' the mistress." About seven 

 p.m. getting savagely hungry, the cook's proceedings became of 

 considerable interest. Before the fire, on a spit, one of the big ones 

 was roasting, and at the moment of my entrance was being basted 

 lavishly with butter, without the least regard to the price of that 

 article. In a kettle on the hob, the other was boiling in water, 

 judiciously flavoured with salt and chili vinegar ; on the gridiron a 

 two-pounder, split with masterly smoothness, was done to a tuni. 

 Though not fond of fish, and hating fish dinners, it was impossible 

 to deny that the chefs performance was admirable, and that for 

 colour and flavour a Belvidere trout is a marvellous dainty. So at 

 least thought the cook, who that night went to bed at an early 

 hour, much indisposed ^the prominent symptoms being nausea and 

 suffocation. 



At the usual hour we were again by the side of the lake ; not a 

 breath of air stirred its glassy surface ; but as wind and water are 

 uncertain to a proverb, we gathered bait, pulled into the widest 

 part, and waited patiently for what might happen. Nothing, how- 



