6 PEAIRIE AND FOBEST. 



rivers from twelve to thirteen feet is quite sufficient 

 length for his rod to be (lake fishermen frequently use 

 longer, but what they gain in reach they lose in quick- 

 ness, a loss, in my estimation, of most serious import- 

 ance), and such a rod should not exceed in weight 

 eight or nine ounces. I can imagine I see many cast 

 up their eyes and exclaim that such is impossible to 

 procure, but let me say they are mistaken. I have 

 owned several of that weight, and with them, days in 

 succession, have taken baskets of fish, of not only all 

 the ordinary sizes, but on one occasion killed a trout 

 nine pounds in weight. As I cannot help regarding 

 this as a performance to be proud of, I will relate how 

 it took place. A couple of companions and myself 

 were encamped on the margin of Mad River, in Oxford 

 Count} r , State of Maine. Our guns had failed to pro- 

 vide dinner, so taking a hazel wand I essayed to 

 capture sufficient chub to make a chowder, a descrip- 

 tion of olla podrida stew. Having hooked a small 

 fish, I was about lifting it into the canoe when a large 

 trout rushed from underneath the birch-bark, seized 

 the chub, and although I gave him^both line and time 

 to pouch what had not been intended for a bait, on 

 taking a pull the chub came away, and I was free from 

 the larger antagonist. Having caught sufficient small 

 fry I went home, brooding over my misfortune, but 

 keeping the adventure closely locked in my bosom 

 (selfishness again). * About the hour that the sun began 

 to dip behind the giant pines, I had made up my mind 

 to the course I would pursue, which was to take my 

 pet rod, mount a cast of two flies, and carefully whip 

 the pool from end to end. As if it were but yesterday, 

 I remember distinctly the flies. The trail one was 



