THERE was not a trout in our country. The region 

 of rock, tumbling falls, and swift brooks ended miles 

 to the eastward. But we had waters a-plenty, deep, 

 calm, slow-moving rivers and creeks, which took their 

 own time about reaching the big lakes which half 

 surrounded our territory. With the exception of 

 the banks of waterways the country had few slopes. 

 For miles one would not find a stone. The great 

 levels of fat land bore alternate growths of ancient 

 forest and bountiful crops. It was not a trout 

 country. 



Of the old crowd of boys, who knew the ways of 

 every beast, bird, and fish indigenous to their sport- 

 ing ground, possibly not one ever set eyes on a trout, 

 until he had travelled considerably beyond the con- 

 fines of his native district. What the eye does not 

 see the heart does not crave, so we troubled ourselves 

 not at all about the trout. 



Our waters teemed with other fish. There was 

 fishing in plenty, and good fishing at that, so, per- 

 haps, after all we were better off "without the trout. 

 In a trout country, as a general rule, one fishes for 



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