26 SPORT IN NORTH AMERICA. 



poacher in the village, I knew how to manage. In 

 a short time, I managed to land several fine eels 

 upon the hank, and my success gave me so much 

 heart, that I worked hard with my spear all day, 

 and by the evening was proclaimed "king of the 

 day," an honour which Max had divided the day 

 before with one of our friends. Happy memories ! 

 Reminiscences of the past, fled, alas ! too soon. 



Here is another souvenir connected with line- 

 fishing which relates to my journeys in the New 

 World. One morning I was walking out about 

 sunrise along the banks of Fordham's Brook, near 

 the Croton Aqueduct, in the neighbourhood of New 

 York, when my attention was attracted by a fisher- 

 man who was accompanied by two companions of 

 strange appearance; the first, who seemed to be 

 giving the others instruction in the art of fishing, 

 was an old soldier of Washington's army, — a relic 

 of a noble band that performed prodigies of valour, 

 and it was easy to guess, by the state of his clothes, 

 that he was a man of careful and economical habits. 

 A large scar divided his right cheek, and gave a hard 

 expression to his face ; but on looking closer, it was 

 easy to see that the bottom was better than the sur- 

 face. A smile softened the angles of his lips, and 

 his grey locks descended in silky curls behind his 

 ears, which were ornamented with earrings, accord- 

 ing to the old fashion. In a word, this fisherman 

 seemed to me disposed to take the world as it was. 



