140 APPENDIX. 



anything that, in the incorrect phraseology of the country, would be 

 called a creek, it abounds in small clear crystal rivulets, which, rising in 

 the elevations above mentioned, take their way, for the most part di- 

 rectly, and without receiving any tributary waters, into their respective 

 seas. 



It is in these rivulets, and in the ponds, which have been formed along 

 their courses, either for the erection of grist and saw mills, or for the 

 sake of the fish themselves, that the brook trout are found in abundance ; 

 and in a degree of perfection, which I, at least, have seen equalled in no 

 other waters, either American or British. 



In all the waters of the island, this noble and delicious fish is taken 

 readily by a skilful fisherman, both on the north or Sound, and the south 

 or Atlantic side ; but it is with the latter district that I am the most 

 familiar; and it is conceded, that its fish are superior in shape, color, 

 flavor, and number, though perhaps not in size, to those of some of the 

 northern waters. 



It is to the south side that I shall, therefore, principally confine my 

 remarks ; although there is one pond on the northern side which must 

 on no account be passed over, as the run of fish in it is larger probably 

 than in any other on the island, perhaps on the continent. 



To proceed, however, the ponds and streams of the south side present 

 a general resemblance so strong that a brief description of one will 

 suffice to make the stranger acquainted with the prevalent character of 

 all. 



The rivulet rising, w^e will suppose, at some four or five miles distance 

 from the bays into which it falls at last, creeps along during the earlier 

 two-thirds of its career, among thickets and tangled coverts, which it is 

 by no means an easy task to penetrate, and among which, if it were 

 desirable, .it would be hardly possible to tin-ow a fly, or wield so much 

 even as an eight foot rod. In this part of their courses, however, though 

 trout are to be found, they are so diminutive as to offer no reward or 

 excitement to the angler. 



After a while, follov%'ing the waters down from their head, we come 

 upon a clear bright j)ond, of various size, from one or two to many acres 

 in extent, surrounded on three sides by the same sort of tangled sWampy 

 woodland, as that through which the brook has passed in its downward 

 course, and on the fourth, or seaward side, by the dam which supports 

 its waters. 



This dam is, for the most part, planted with" willows, in order to render 

 it firmer against the wear and tear of floods and freshets ; and, there- 

 fore, it is difficult to throw a line from the shore at this point, the others 

 being from the nature of the soil and underv»'ood entirely impracticable. 

 In consequence of this, the angling in these ponds is carried on almost 

 entirely from boats, which can readily be obtained everywhere, for a 

 moderate compensation. 



Pouring down clear and copious from the sluice or floodgate of the 

 first pond, the brook rushes away, now through cleared fields, now among 

 brakes and thickets, until it again expands into a second, and probably a 

 larger sheet of water, the character of which is precisely the same with 

 that above. 



