DEPARTURE. 77 



three of our party at that time was entirely new 

 and strange, but which Uncle John assured us he had 

 often seen before, the parent bird thus endeavor- 

 ing by cunning artifice to draw attention from its 

 brood, by encouraging a hope of easy capture of 

 itself; for it takes but a few moments for the young 

 to conceal themselves so effectually, that you may 

 pass them on every side, and not discover their 

 hiding-places. 



After passing the No.tch, finding we are in good 

 time, we improvise a couple of rods by cutting 

 birch-saplings, and coax out from a few pools in 

 Black River, whose course our road follows, some 

 thirty or forty trout in a much less number of min- 

 utes. 



These trout average about three ounces, and are 

 most delicate eating. The stream is full of them : 

 I think a lively fisherman could capture three hun- 

 dred in a day, and not have to travel far either. 

 Having taken all we needed for % our supper, we are 

 off again for Andover, which we reach in quite a 

 fresh condition at about five o'clock. 



And now commences the putting-off of tar and 

 fisherman's clothing, and putting on cleanliness 

 and city habiliments ; for we are once more in civ- 

 ilized society, and must conduct ourselves after the 

 manner of men. At nine o'clock the stage arrives, 



