RANGELEY BROOK TRO UT. 83 



affected the beauty if not the efficacy of my casts. But 

 suddenly I am awakened to the realization of the fact 

 that a big fish has seized the fly and is making the reel 

 hum in its frantic endeavors to secure its liberty. 

 Fathom after fathom of the dainty line disappears be- 

 neath the water, and at last prudence dictates a gentle 

 snub, which finally terminates in a decided check to the 

 mad career of the quarry. Having succeeded in turn- 

 ing his head in a different direction, another rush is 

 made across stream, making the line whiz as it cuts 

 through the water ; then suddenly he takes a downward 

 course and ceases from all apparent effort to free him- 

 self. He now sulks for a long time, and impatience 

 begins to take the place of the excitement with which 

 the fight began. The guide, who, during the fray had 

 hoisted his anchor, got ready his landing-net, and was 

 n9w holding his boat in position with the oars, sug- 

 gested that I had better send him a telegraphic message, 

 which was accordingly done by striking the rod with a 

 key. The first few strokes seemed to make little or no 

 impression, but presently he convinced us that he was 

 still there, although we had some forebodings that he 

 had escaped by winding the line around a log or some 

 other object at the bottom of the stream. He was up 

 and alive in every sense, and performed the same tactics 

 for liberty with apparently more vigor than at first. 

 These were kept up for about half an hour, when he again 

 took a turn of sulking, but this time of shorter dura- 

 tion, and when he again began his rushes it was with 



