236 LINES IN PLEASANT PLACES 



was Ben's information, elicited by cross-examination 

 as we sat on the veranda before unpacking our effects. 



As to what he considered a reasonable bag, he had 

 often, from a four or five hours' outing, returned with a 

 dozen and a half of 'lunge or bass, the former averaging 

 9 Ib. or 12 lb., the latter 2 Ib. or 3 Ib. The opening 

 day was June 15, and at daylight the lake, so he said, 

 was alive with boats, each containing its fisherman. 

 He had known a ton of 'lunge and bass landed every 

 day for the first week. I am not to be held responsible 

 for these statements, but everything I subsequently 

 heard from gentlemen who weigh their words and know 

 what they are talking about, confirmed the assertions of 

 the Port Perry professional. 'Lunge of 40 lb. had been 

 taken moreover, but not often. These were the en- 

 couragements which dropped like the dew of Hermon ; 

 refreshing us into temporary forgetfulness of the un- 

 doubted fact that the visitors who had been angling 

 on the lake had met, even on the previous day, with 

 bitter disappointment. The boats had not been able 

 to account for more than perhaps a brace each of four 

 or five pound fish. 



Skipper Ben stared in amaze at the preposterous 

 tackle with which I proposed to try and catch my first 

 'lunge. I had much better take the rig-out provided 

 with the boat. If, however, he disapproved of my 

 equipment, how shall I describe my feelings with regard 

 to the vessel for which (man and tackle included) we 

 were to pay two dollars per diem. It was a canoe of 

 the smallest, built to hold one person besides the man 

 at the small oars. It was impossible to stand up in 

 such a cranky craft, and your seat was about 6 in. from 

 the bottom boards. No wonder all the fishing was 

 done by hand-lines. The local method was simplicity 

 itself. To fifty yards of line of the thickness of sash- 



