78 THE ADIEOKDACKS. 



that rock. A trout ! Play liim well— a large fellow, too'. 

 Well landed — no time to stop long — we'll pick them out as 

 we proceed. The trout always lie among the rocks, in the 

 quick water, at this season. A fortnight later they will be 

 at the mouth of the cold brooks that flow into the main 

 stream. Look ! boats coming up — So-and-so's party — been 

 camping down at Long Lake. What luck? Eeport us, 

 please. Ah ! whose house is that ? Stetson's. We'll stop 

 when we return. The Saranac at last ! What a magnificent 

 sheet of water ! What beautiful islands ! See those tents. 

 Why, I can count a dozen along the shore. I had no idea so 

 many were camping out. Bartlett's, at last ! We tarry here 

 to-night. What a place for trout ! Two years ago, just in 

 there, above the dam, where you see that rock in mid- 

 stream, I hooked a lake-trout on the tail-fly of an extraordi- 

 nary long cast ; they say a lake-trout won't rise to a fly. He 

 did, though, and took it handsomely. I never had better 

 sport in my life. He amused me for half an hour, and when 

 I had him landed, he weighed four pounds and a half. I 

 was proud to kill that fish on my eight-ounce bamboo. 



Pleasant is the voyage around the route. Each day's ex- 

 perience differs from the last. New scenery constantly opens 

 to view. Friendly parties and familiar faces are constantly 

 met. And one need not camp out at all, if indisposed. The 

 guide will arrange to stop at a hotel each night. And Avhat 

 rousing fun there is in these wayside hostelries when parties 

 meet! What blazing fires, what steaming venison, what 

 pungent odor of fried pork and bacon, what friendly aroma 

 of hot cofiee ! 



Here I would fixin indulge my wayward pen, and in fancy 

 go over the ground once more. Perhaps, however, it is 

 better to leave something to the anticipation of those who 

 may seek a new experience in this enchanting region. For 

 the benefit of such I will say briefly that the best fishing is 

 in May. The ice breaks up about the 25th of April, and the 

 fish are then scattered over the lakes and streams. The 



