98 FLY-FISHING IN MAINE LAKES. 



have among your number a talkative man, a fright- 

 ened woman, and several gushing misses : we did, 

 had them all, and managed to extract fun from 

 each. 



It is perfectly astonishing how familiar one gets 

 to be on a short acquaintance, and the largest lib- 

 erties are allowed on these occasions. It is not 

 rapid locomotion, this ascent of mountains, even 

 if in this day of improvements you do, if you are so 

 inclined, travel by rail ; and we had ample oppor- 

 tunity to' study character on our way up. I do not 

 propose to attempt a description of the beauties 

 of the scenery that greeted our sight as different 

 turns in our upward march constantly brought new 

 scenes before us. 



" Isn't it just charming? " " Don't you think we 

 are going too near the edge, driver? " " Oh ! how 

 lovely ! " such were the exclamations, varied some- 

 what, from time to time, by a comparison from the 

 talkative man who had travelled abroad, and who 

 apparently knew more about foreign countries than 

 he did about his own. 



And now the call for shawls and overcoats tells 

 us that we are reaching the end of our upward 

 journey; and the black and scurrying clouds, 

 which are close above our heads, bid fair to give 

 us a little wetting before we reach the summit. 



