364 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



and with an impetuous rush he again started for his time- 

 honoured, watery haunts. With a nervous grasp on my 

 rod, I was prepared to give him line ; but imagine my 

 astonishment when the slack returned to my hand, minus 

 hooks and leader ! The swivel had parted, one I had 

 actually purchased in the Strand, London, and, with a 

 rueful countenance, I stood the picture of desperation I 

 doubt if the physiognomy of Marius over the ruins of 

 Carthage could have looked more doleful. On my way 

 home, talking the matter over with my Jidus Achates, we 

 agreed upon the verdict of " served me right," for attempt- 

 ing to immolate so noble a victim in such an ignoble 

 manner ; and doubly was I convinced of the time-honoured 

 French adage, " L'homme propose et Dieu dispose " 



But let not the enthusiast run away with the idea that 

 in Maine there are no drawbacks to pleasure, that sport is 

 found without an alloy, for the pests of every new land 

 here swarm black flies, mosquitoes, and sand-flies ; but 

 fortunately their reign of terror does not exist over six 

 weeks. The first (the black fly), which is about the size 

 of a small house-fly, and riot dissimilar in appearance, is a 

 perfect cannibal, refusing to be driven away, willingly 

 immolating himself in his thirst for blood, and drawing 

 blood whenever he can obtain a footing; up your trousers, 

 down your shirt-sleeves or collar, everywhere he will get 

 at his victim. Kill them by thousands, the phalanxes, 

 apparently undiminished, will return to the attack ; and 

 even domestic animals do not escape. The unfortunate 

 cow that had been driven up to supply us with milk I 

 have seen changed from a strawberry to a black, by the 



