62 FLY-FISHING IN MAINE LAKES. 



much more to be desired, according to my way of 

 thinking, than a lingering, hopeless decay." 



" Well, I agree with you fully as to that ; but seri- 

 ously, in all your travels have you not been in some 

 trying situation, where you felt for a longer or 

 shorter time your life was actually in danger?" 



" Oh, yes ! several times." 



" What was the most fearful, the one where you 

 suffered the most in the shortest time? " 



"As to that, I don't think I feared or suffered 

 much in either case, certainly no physical suffer- 

 ing, and scarcely any mental; but I have often 

 looked back to one rash incident of my life as 

 being, as well as perhaps very foolish, very danger- 

 ous, and in which for a few minutes I felt my life 

 hung in the balances." 



"What was that?" 



"You have been to Quebec?" 



"Yes." 



"And the Falls of Montmorency? " 



"I have. I believe they are a hundred feet 

 higher than Niagara." 



"Nearly." 



"You didn't imitate the illustrious Sam Patch, 

 and jump them, did you? " 



"Not exactly, but 1 slid down them in winter." 



"That's a cool statement : explain yourself." 



