A FISHERMAN'S PARADISE 11 



who does not speak French; but they all seem anx- 

 ious to do their very best to give you a good time, 

 can understand signs in the absence of common lan- 

 guage, are good men with a paddle and pack and 

 singularly pleasant, willing and kindly. They are 

 very poor, have large families and usually begin to 

 work at seven or eight years old, so that few of them 

 can read and write, but there is plenty of work for 

 willing men and I think these people are as happy, 

 or happier, than many Americans much better of! 

 financially. 



Saccacoma is a large and deep lake, full of 

 minnows and other food and containing many very 

 big trout. These do not show much inclination to 

 rise to the fly, except when a rather stiff breeze blows 

 and the sky is overcast, and then only in particular 

 places such as the points of the islands and promon- 

 tories of the rocky shore. Consequently this lake is 

 largely given up to the older and stouter members 

 of the Club, who do not care to take long tramps, 

 are not strictly devoted to fly fishing, and make their 

 captures by trolling, using small spoons, phantom 

 .minnows, silver soldiers and similar lures. Still a 

 diligent fisherman, with some knowledge of the lake, 

 can take with the fly quite as many trout as he can 

 possibly use, and the fish being well fed, strong, deep 

 and thick, make a magnificent fight. A two-pounder 

 taken on my last trip showed greater strength for his 

 weight than any trout I ever hooked, refusing to 

 come near the boat, making furious rushes which 



