366 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



limited for so many rods, so down the stream I started,. 

 and forgot, in my desire to beat the others in results, the 

 odious preparation of oil of tar. After half an hour's 

 scrambling through brush and climbing over rocks, I at 

 length reached such a lovely pool. The first cast showed 

 it to be alive with fish, and they in the proper way of 

 thinking. Soon the gravel margin had over a dozen 

 beauties glittering in all their glorious colouring, but the- 

 sun was near the horizon, and my attendant warned me 

 that time was up. On joining my friends, long and 

 vociferous were their peals of laughter whenever they 

 looked at me. What the deuce was up ? On arrival at 

 the shanty all was explained. The black flies had attacked 

 me when so immersed in my sport, that they had been 

 unnoticed, or brushed off, making my countenance the 

 most extraordinary-looking mess of blood and bruised flies 

 imaginable ; but if I did not then feel the pain, you may 

 bet I did that night when warm in bed. 



Knowing that such torments exist, why did the writer 

 go there ? is naturally asked, and as simply answered ; for 

 before he started he was assured that not even a mosquito 

 was to be found in Maine. Afterwards it was discovered 

 that the visit of his informant had been paid to this Ultima 

 Tlnile late in autumn. A dozen times conclusions were 

 come to of sloping (not for Texas) in the morning ; but 

 tin- attractions were so great that even the entire summer, 

 even on to the end of October, was got through, the last 

 two or three months so delightfully, that the self-sacrifice 

 endured in June and July was more than compensated for; 

 and never can be forgotten the beautiful weather, glorious 



