THE HALCYON IN CANADA 209 



balanced across a stick, and our groceries served as 

 weights. A four-pound package of sugar kicked 

 the beam quickly; a pound of coffee was added; 

 still it went up; then a pound of tea, and still the 

 fish had a little the best of it. But we called it six 

 pounds, not to drive too sharp a bargain with for- 

 tune, and were more than satisfied. Such a beauti- 

 ful creature ! marked in every respect like a trout of 

 six inches. We feasted our eyes upon him for half 

 an hour. We stretched him upon the ground and 

 admired him; we laid him across a log and with- 

 drew a few paces and admired him ; we hung him 

 against the shanty, and turned our heads from side 

 to side as women do when they are selecting dress 

 goods, the better to take in the full force of the 

 effect. 



He graced the board or stump that afternoon, and 

 was the sweetest fish we had taken. The flesh was 

 a deep salmon-color and very rich. We had before 

 discovered that there were two varieties of trout in 

 these waters, irrespective of size, the red-fleshed 

 and the white-fleshed, and that the former were 

 the better. 



This success gave an impetus to our sport that 

 carried us through the rest of the week finely. We 

 had demonstrated that there were big trout here, and 

 that they would rise to a fly. Henceforth big fish 

 were looked to as a possible result of every excur- 

 sion. To me, especially, the desire to at least match 

 my companion, who had been my pupil in the art, 

 was keen and constant. We built a raft of logs 



