28 SPORT IN NORTH AMERICA. 



to tie on tlie flies, and how to throw them so as 

 to attract the fish to rise at them. 



A few days before this, I had been reading a few 

 chapters of Isaak Walton, and the scene recalled to 

 me the picture of the sage Piscator and his pupil. 

 The surrounding country, too, reminded me strongly 

 of that described by the Angler-poet. 



Let the reader imagine a deep valley, not far from 

 the fine mansion inhabited by the Jesuits of Fordham 

 College, shaded by the leafy trees which clothe the 

 sides of the slopes which mount up towards the Cat- 

 skill mountains, and lead onwards to the green and 

 balmy prairies of Connecticut, 



Walton describes somewhere in his work the 

 charms of a day lit up by a bright sun, whose heat 

 is now and then tempered by a light rain that gems 

 the grass with myriads of diamonds. 



1 advanced towards the group and entered into 

 conversation with the old fisherman, who received me 

 most kindly, and so interested me with his conver- 

 sation that I remained the whole day with the party, 

 wandering along the Fordham rivulet, and lending an 

 attentive ear to the discourse of my Piscator. That 

 master of the art of fishing was most communicative, 

 and talked volubly — as light-hearted old men do. 

 Moreover, he took an evident pride in proving that 

 no one understood better than he the art of hooking 

 and landing a fish according to rule. 



He took a pleasure in recountinsr to me the ad- 



