4 1 2 Salmon -Fishing. 



enough on the rod to prevent the hook from dropping out of the 

 mouth of the fish, — which measured forty-eight inches in length, 

 — while his friend, after having skillfully hooked him with a pro- 

 digiously long gaff, is drawing him forward so as to use both hands 

 in lifting him upon the rock. As some of our skillful surgeons 

 perform even the delicate operation for a cataract equally well with 

 either hand, so must the successful salmon-angler become ambidex- 

 trous. In casting he must be able, of course, to use either hand for- 

 ward at will, and when one arm has become lamed by holding the 

 rod, as it rests against the waist in playing a fish, and takes nearly 

 all the strain while the other manipulates the reel, he must be able to 

 change the position of the reel upon the rod, and work it with his 

 left hand while his right manages the rod. This left-handed arrange- 

 ment is shown in the figure with the reel on top in its proper posi- 

 tion, and the right hand taking all the strain. 



The scientific angler, as soon as the fish is hooked, turns his rod 

 over and brings his line uppermost, so that it hugs and strains the 

 rod equally at every inch of its length, leaving to the rings their 

 proper function of simply guiding the line. 



Having, through Mr. Curtis's kindness, received an invitation 

 from Mr. Reynolds, as already mentioned, to fish his river, the York, 

 accompanied by any friend whom I might select, I provided myself 

 with a Norris greenheart and a Leonard bamboo in the way of rods, 

 and with an assortment of proper flies. 



It is, however, in the selection of friends to accompany us that we 

 find the greatest difficulty connected with a projected excursion for 

 salmon. One may have plenty of friends who would make camp-life 

 delightful, and whose presence at the festive board " would make a 

 feast of a red herring" ; but they cannot be ordered for a trip, like 

 tackle. Your choice must, as a matter of course, be very much re- 

 stricted. You will never trust yourself in camp with your best friend 

 unless you have seen him under fire ; that is to say, unless you know 

 how he will stand the thousand and one annoyances incident to long 

 journeys with poor conveyances and still poorer hotels ; with black 

 flies, sand-flies, mosquitoes, fleas, and worse. The best companion 

 of the library, the drawing-room, and the watering-place, although 

 possessed of the most kindly attributes, oftentimes becomes absolutely 

 unendurable when quartered for a day or two on the banks of a Can- 



