378 



Trout -Fishing in the Range ley Lakes. 



critical moment had arrived. There, with his back fin as erect 

 as ever, was a magnificent trout, which was soon in the landing- 

 net, and in a moment after in the boat, after precisely an hour 

 and a half of as steady and persistent a fight as a fish ever made 

 for life. But his capture was a full reward for all the time and 

 trouble it had cost, since he weighed by the scale full seven pounds. 

 This trout and one weighing eight pounds which had been taken 

 by Mr. Crounse were among the magnificent trophies which were 

 carried away from Bema when we broke camp a day or two after- 

 ward. And the scene upon that memorable morning was one to 

 which it is difficult to do justice with pen or pencil. There was the 

 batteau laden with all the camp paraphernalia, including the pet 

 dog Prince. As passengers, there were the two leaders of the party, 

 Messrs. Page and Crounse, each with his two boys, while the 

 guides pulled the oars. " Dan " Quimby, the faithful cook and 

 profound philosopher, whose "corn-dodgers" had been in steady 

 demand and in unfailing supply during the whole time of our stay 

 in camp, was starting off for a ten-mile tramp overland to Madrid, 

 leading the cow which he had brought in with him by the same 

 route a month before, and the " spirit of Mooselucmaguntic," stripped 

 of its blanket, seemed to be dancing in wild glee at the prospect of 

 being left in undisturbed possession of his wild domain. Two or three 

 of us remained behind to catch a few more trout, and in the hope of 

 a less boisterous passage to the main camp. After a day or two we 

 followed, taking with us delightful memories of the camp at Bema, 

 and trout enough to excite the envy of the less successful anglers at 

 the other end of the lake. 





THK NICT RF.Sl I.T. 



