234 GUN, KOD, AND SADDLE. 



of most serious importance), and sucli an implement 

 should not exceed in weight eight or nine ounces. 

 I can imagine I see many cast up their eyes and ex- 

 claim, that such is impossible to procure, but let me 

 say they are mistaken. I have owned several of that 

 weight, and with them, days in succession, taken 

 baskets of fish, of not only all the ordinary sizes, 

 but on one occasion I killed a trout nine pounds 

 in weight. As I can not help regarding this as a 

 performance to be proud of, I will relate how it took 

 place. A couple of companions and myself were en- 

 camped on the margin of Mad River in Oxford Coun- 

 ty, State of Maine. Our guns had failed to provide 

 dinner, so taking a hazel wand I essayed to capture 

 sufficient chub to make a chowder, a description of 

 omnium gatherum stew. In taking a small fish, as 

 I was about lifting him into the canoe a large trout 

 rushed from underneath the birch-bark, seized the 

 chub, and although I gave him both line and time to 

 pouch what had not been intended for a bait, on 

 taking a pull upon him the chub came away, and I was 

 free from the larger antagonist. Having taken suf- 

 ficient small fry I went home, brooding over my mis- 

 fortune, but keeping the adventure closely locked in* 

 my own bosom (selfishness ag:iin). About the hour 



