SALMON FISHING IN LABRADOR. 209 



three fine fish, whereas his antagonist had not ob- 

 tained a single rise. Nevertheless, I would much 

 prefer to be the first to pass over the ground, or 

 rather water, in spite of all that can be said to the 

 contrary. 



The last evening little else was done but fight our 

 battles over again, and the number of cigar stumps 

 and diminished bottles clearly bespoke the length of 

 our sitting, and the relish we had for one another's 

 conversation. A happier night I don't think I ever 

 spent ; and even now I look back to those few 

 delightful days with unfeigned delight. Before re- 

 tiring we settled that till noon on the morrow we 

 would fish, and get under way as soon after as pos- 

 sible, both being repugnant to tear ourselves away 

 from a locality which had afforded us so much 

 pleasure. 



With break of day on the morrow we were again re- 

 seated in our boat, starting for the river on our parting 

 visit. The captain put out two lines astern with the 

 hope of catching some hungry straggler of the deep, nor 

 did the lines long remain idle ; one in particular, which 

 was attached to a large-sized Buell spoon, was kept 

 constantly at work, and on two occasions it had 

 scarce got well clear of the boat before it was seized, 

 Several whales and innumerable porpoises kept plung- 



