294 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



I began to think I had traversed quite two miles I 

 suddenly came upon the margin of a bright pure river, 

 about seventy yards wide, running in a continuous 

 rapid stream towards the sea. Mungo Park's first 

 view of the Niger, or Speke and Grant's first sight of 

 the upper waters of the Nile, can scarce have afforded 

 more satisfaction to those illustrious travellers than I 

 experienced on this occasion. Several seals were 

 fishing in the current, and their disregard of my pre- 

 sence convinced me that their acquaintance with the 

 lords of creation had been very limited. Several 

 families of wild duck were conspicuous, while salmon 

 and sea trout broke water wherever the stream was 

 undisturbed by the unwelcome seals. Reader, have 

 you ever been at the mouth of a river and witnessed 

 how rapirlly the arrival of a seal in its estuary 

 is transmitted to the inhabitants ? The moment 

 before his unwelcome presence is known, thousands 

 of fish sport themselves, but on his advent being 

 published not an indication can be noted that aught 

 else tenants the water save this amphibious animal. 

 After taking a due survey I started upwards, following 

 the margin of the stream. In less than a mile I found 

 its general characteristics changed, and from a steady 

 rapid current it became a boiling, seething cataract. 

 Again its character changed, and large sombre-looking 

 pools interrupted its precipitous course. Howl longed 

 for a rod ! It required much less experience than 

 mine to be aware that this was a magnificent fishing- 

 ground. Salmon rose on all sides, pitching themselves 

 clear of the water and making it fly in spray like the 

 splash of a heavy stone. I had beheld enough to 

 satisfy the most fastidious, and with hurried steps I 



