162 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



To fish it from the bank was impossible, for the sumach 

 and cedar grew to its margin, so that no other resource was 

 left but to cut a number of cedar logs and form a raft. An 

 hour or more was lost in this operation, and when we had 

 launched out we found that nothing but the smallest fry 

 could be taken, although these were in such quantities that 

 frequently we would have three or four rises to a cast. 

 For an hour or more we fished indefatigably, still nothing 

 over a quarter of a pound rewarded our labours, and when 

 we landed for our pic-nic lunch I determined to fish the 

 etream with the hope of obtaining some heavier specimens. 

 My friend, who felt indisposed, either from the effects of 

 the sun, or some State-of-Maine whisky (warranted to kill 

 as far as a six-shooter) which he had been imbibing, 

 refused to accompany me ; so, with the youth who had 

 acted as Palinurus, I left him to ruminate over his trans- 

 gressions or misfortune. 



As I had supposed, large fish were to be found in the 

 stream, and my basket began to groan under its weight, 

 when I hooked my flies in the top of a larch that leaned 

 over the water close in my rear. With all my efforts I 

 could not get them free, so sending the lad aloft, I waited 

 patiently for him to cast them off. The place where I 

 stood was hummocky, such lumps as you come across in 

 the bogs of Ireland when snipe-shooting, only a great deal 

 larger. With care and precaution the hummocks could be 

 traversed without wetting a foot, but hurry would certainly 

 get you between them, when over the boot-tops would be 

 the consequence. I had stood for several minutes for the 

 youngster to get the line loose, when across the stream, 



