360 AMERICAN GAME FISHES. 



And now arose on either hand dark limestone cliffs, rifted 

 and seamed, and hung with ferns and clematis vines, and 

 the blue bells of the campanula. Below us was the "Devil's 

 Elbow," so called by the raftsmen who plied their adventur- 

 ous trade along the stream, and as this gorge of ominous 

 name now opened on our view, I thought that despite the 

 coarseness of the appellation, it was hardly inappropriate. 

 Down the steep slope we sped, straight where the swollen 

 river flung its force against a wall of rock, beneath the frown- 

 ing front of a precipice, and, wheeling sharp to the left with 

 a foaming swirl, was lost to view in the depths below. 



"By Jove," said John, "there is a singular example of 

 stratification." 



"No talking to the man at the helm. Stand by to fend 

 off." Our prow was cutting the wall of foam at the base of 

 the cliff, but swerved to the powerful sweep of the paddles, 

 and the reeling boat shot down the gorge, past rock and reef, 

 that showed their teeth to weather and lee, through the 

 gleam of the plunging foam. 



The river widened, and in five minutes more we were 

 floating upon a swift but tranquil current. The sun had 

 set, and the evening twilight rested on the forest, when we 

 moored our boat to a projecting root, and made our camp in 

 a grove of great canoe-birches. 



The shades of night were falling fast before our tent was 

 pitched, but in no long time were for us dispelled by the 

 flames of a glorious camp-fire whose huge logs glowed in the 

 fervent heat, while eddying sparks and volumed smoke 

 whirled upward through the birchen boughs, and stirred their 

 whispering leaves. 



Mind that this fire was builded for its own dear sake. We 

 were no greenhorns, to try to cook our supper by a volcano. 

 Our culinary department was situated in the background, 

 and though comparatively inconspicuous, proved thoroughly 

 effective, as was made manifest by the savory steams which 

 hung on the still night-air. 



