Trout- Fishing East versus West 



in the ground on either side of a small round fire, sur- 

 mounted by a cross-stick upon which was hung the pail 

 of water for heating. The coffee-pot usually simmered 

 on a flat stone among the coals at one side. Gathering 

 courage at the risk of outraging Tom's hospitality, I 

 hazarded: 



" Where's the coffee, Tom ?" 



Tom looked at me bewildered. " Coffee !" he ex- 

 claimed. " I didn't bring none. We got plenty of 

 tea, though. I'm cookin' the kittle now." 



The mystery of the black pail of boiling water was 

 solved. As supper was now ready, barring the coffee, 

 Tom completed the cookin' of the " kittle " by tossing 

 a large handful of black tea into the boiling water 

 and then he let her boil some more ! After we had 

 eaten our supper Tom asked: 



" Are you ready now for your tea ?" 



Without giving me an opportunity to deny his right 

 to inflict the rank concoction upon me, he handed over 

 a large tin mug full, a can of unsweetened milk, a tin 

 of sugar, and a tin spoon. As he had poured the tea 

 out of the " kittle " without a strainer, the dose was 

 about the consistency of boiled rice or pea-soup. In 

 order to spare Tom's feelings in case his spirit is sticking 

 around as I write this, I will have to exercise preterition 

 upon the subject of my disposition of the mess. 



As it was getting dark and Tom said he had some 

 chores to do, I offered to wash dishes. Tom disap- 

 peared in the woods with the ever-present axe. In the 

 course of twenty minutes he reappeared with two long 

 wands upon which were hung an immense number of 

 tiny hemlock boughs. Not wishing to show my 

 ignorance, I kept quiet and watched. Tom went into 

 the tent and proceeded to stick the stems of those short 

 boughs into the turf till he had completely carpeted the 



15 



