376 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



and geese we saw disporting themselves on the back 

 waters. When a pond easy of approach and well pop- 

 ulated was seen, a word to our skipper and the boat 

 swung into the bank. Then what a crashing of branches, 

 snapping of twigs, and scattering of leaves there was, 

 until some of the crew leaped ashore and tied the boat 

 up to convenient trees. Then a gang-plank was run 

 out, and away our gunners went, animated with the 

 characteristic Anglo-Saxon desire to go and kill some- 

 thing, while I remained behind as full of sighs as a 

 boarding-school girl over a pathetic novel. 



While these side-issues were in progress I had natu- 

 rally inquired about the fishing, and had learned that 

 after the snows ceased melting on the mountains, and 

 the river became clear, a fish they called a " char," and 

 up to ten and twelve pounds in weight, might be taken 

 in abundance. As naturally, I earnestly desired a per- 

 sonal introduction to this fish. At last we tied up at 

 the mouth of a branch stream, which, though discourag- 

 ingly white with silt, was still much clearer than the 

 river. On one of the men remarking that it was a good 

 place for char, I brought my rod on to the forward deck 

 and began to string up. Evidently my style of fishing- 

 tackle was new to the men. One of them said : " You 

 don't expect to catch any fish with that rig, do you ?" 

 " Oh, no," I replied ; " I thought I would just amuse 

 myself a little while the others are ashore." Another 

 said : " Why, if you really want to see those fish we 

 will catch some for you." Receiving a suitable reply, 

 they went ashore, cut some poles, and attached their 

 lines, baiting with some pieces of a wild duck. By the 

 time I had strung up^ had studied the set of the cur- 

 rent, and concluded where the fish were likely to lie, 



