1 86 FLY-FISHING IN MAINE LAKES. 



In the language of the novelist, " the auspicious 

 day at last arrived," which was to furnish sport in 

 abundance ; and in the best of spirits, our lunch- 

 baskets well filled, our fishing-gear, supplied by 

 " Prouty," consisting of item : one axe, one long- 

 handled skimmer, one ditto cold-chisel, twenty-four 

 patent lines, with red-flannel-flag attachments, 

 all snugly stowed in the baggage-car; our little 

 party augmented by Professor Gerry, who was to 

 have charge of the whole (hole) proceedings, 

 we rattled out of the Old Colony Depot, bound for 

 Lily Pond, Cohasset. 



One little incident occurred before starting which 

 might, to a less-determined company, have proved 

 a drawback. Tom, with proper foresight, had the 

 day before purchased a bucket of live bait, cunning 

 little minnows, who seemed as happy in their nest 

 of eel-grass, tucked up nicely together, as though 

 swimming in their native element. Now, Mrs. 

 J , Tom's better half, discovered this same buck- 

 et, and the absence of any water in which the lit- 

 tle chaps might swim ; and, in the kindness of her 

 heart, poured in a supply, which, under some cir 

 cumstances, would have proved quite beneficial to 

 their general health ; but in this case it only damp- 

 ened their spirits, and our live bait became dead 

 bait. Poor Tom ! he said he couldn't scold, it 

 showed such a good disposition. 



