Miscellaneous Suggestions. 335 



engaging with the inequalities of the rocky surface with 

 which it is brought in contact. If the nails are used in 

 excess, the shoes then practically become paved with 

 iron, and the second element of safety is lost. It will 

 be long before I forget how my thoughts were directed 

 to this problem. 



It was in May, many years ago, in Pennsylvania. The 

 stream was at that time a strong one, almost too strong 

 for wading unless great circumspection was used. In 

 many places it was impassable, while elsewhere so dark- 

 colored was the water, that the use of a graduated wading- 

 staff was necessary to inform the angler whether he was 

 venturing into two feet of water or twenty. 



That law of nature which makes the most inaccessi- 

 ble places invariably seem the most desirable in fishing, 

 tempted me to leap from rock to rock till I was well out 

 towards one of the deeper parts of the stream. It was 

 not a difficult job, for the bowlders used as a bridge 

 were large and not widely separated. At last my goal, 

 a large flat rock sloping gently downward towards the 

 desired pool, was before me. My shoes were well paved 

 with hobnails, rather worn it is true, but not enough to 

 impair my confidence in them. I stepped upon that rock, 

 where I proposed to stop. Too late I found its surface 

 was coated with a gray lichen, indistinguishable from the 

 natural color of the stone, and more slippery than ice 

 itself. Slowly and steadily, but with a constantly ac- 

 celerating velocity, I found myself skating downward 

 towards the apparently unfathomable pool below, a help- 

 less victim of misplaced confidence. Then I thought 

 unutterable things, among the least of which were: How 

 deep was the water below ? should I be obliged to aban- 

 don my rod ? could I get rid of my creel, already quite 



