122 FISHING FOR PLEASURE 



Felt the mighty King of Fishes 

 Shudder through each nerve and fibre. 

 Heard the water gurgle round him 

 As he leapt and staggered through it 

 Sick at heart, and faint and weary." 



Then Hiawatha drew his canoe crosswise, fear- 

 ing that in the turmoil and confusion he might 

 be hurled forth from the jaws of Nahma and 

 perish. The squirrel, Adjidaumo, frisked and 

 chattered gaily and toiled and tugged with Hia- 

 watha, till the labour was completed, and Hia- 

 watha thanked his little friend, and then it was 

 that he christened him, and said the boys should 

 henceforth call him Adjidaumo, Tail-in-air. 



" And again the sturgeon, Nahma, 

 Gasped and quivered in the water, 

 Then was still, and drifted landwards 

 Till he grated on the pebbles, 

 Till the listening Hiawatha 

 Heard him grate upon the pebbles, 

 Knew that Nahma, King of Fishes, 

 Lay there dead upon the margin." 



Hiawatha heard a clang and flapping, a scream- 

 ing and confusion as of birds of prey contending ; 

 he saw a gleam of light above him, shining 

 through Nahma's ribs, and the glittering eyes of 

 seagulls gazing at him through the opening, and 

 he heard them saying to each other, " Tis our 

 brother Hiawatha." 



"And he shouted from below them, 

 Cried exulting from the caverns : 



