252 FISHING IN AMERICAN WATERS. 



Our dreams of home were rosy. Though unlooked-for, 

 modest flushes of the great St. John, produced by "summer 

 showers at its tributaries, caused temporary hope, yet the 

 stream kept gradually narrowing and falling so fast that sal- 

 mon refused to ascend to the fluvial part of the river. About 

 the 20th of July the grilse began to make their appearance, 

 and the parr rose to the fly in the most plucky manner, 

 evincing more courage than their grandparents. 



"At length the morning for our departure has arrived," 

 said one of our party while returning from enjoying his last 

 bath of the season in Rattling Run. Instead of learning from 

 the 



"Tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, 

 Sermons in stones," 



we were about to exchange the scenes of nature, unadorned 

 by art, for the crowded mart, and the hurry-scurry of aggre- 

 gated humanity. The thoughts which made bearable the re- 

 flections called forth by preparing to leave our home of free- 

 dom, and felicity of angling for salmon, were the dearest of 

 earth home, family, and friends. For these we could en- 

 dure the sights of striking tents, and loading the bark ca- 

 noes for our departure to the mouth of the river. 



Our tents were struck, tents, trunks, and rubber bags 

 packed before breakfast. None but the experienced can re- 

 alize how lonely appears the little spot of ground over which 

 his tent has been stretched for several weeks, but of which 

 nothing remains except the boughs of the fir-tree which rest- 

 ed him, and gave him pleasant dreams for many nights. We 

 still heard the salmon leaping and splashing in the river, and 

 the two lone birds piping their merry notes, though our tents 

 were removed and packed in the canoes. But, shaking off 

 the sense of melancholy which I felt to be gaining on me, I 

 remembered that the lines of true anglers always fall in 

 pleasant places, and so adjourned to breakfast. 



As the general had decided to remain and see the salmon 

 season out, 'twere wrong to deny the fact that leaving him 



