80 STONY BROOK. 



k 



it enters the Rackett. I discovered on a former yisit to this 

 wilderness, when the water was very low, a spring that came 

 boiling up near the centre of the stream, with a volume 

 large enough almost to carry a mill. It was at a point 

 where a high sandy bluff, along which the stream swept, 

 terminated. As we approached this spot, I suggested to 

 Spalding, who was in the bow of the boat, to prepare his rod 

 and fly. We approached carefully along the willows on 

 the opposite shore, until in a position from which he could 

 throw in the direction I indicated. In the then stage of the 

 water, there was no appearance of a spring, or any indica- 

 tion marking it as a spot where the trout would be at all 

 likely to congregate, and Spalding was half inclined to 

 believe that I was practising upon his want of knowledge of 

 the habits of the fish of this region. I had said nothing 

 about the spring, or the habit of the trout in gathering 

 wherever a cold stream enters a river, or a spring comes 

 gushing up in its bed. 



" I don't believe there's a trout within half a mile of us," 

 he said, as he adjusted his rod and fly. 



" Never mind," I replied, " throw your fly across towards 

 that boulder on the bank, and trail it home, and you'll 

 see." 



" Well," said he, " here goes ;" and he threw in the direc- 

 tion indicated. 



The .fly had scarcely touched the water when a trout, 

 weighing a pound or over, struck it with a rush that carried 

 him clear out of the water. After a little play he was 



