SPORTING SKETCHES. 237 



not frighten the birds sufficiently for a rise ; the birds being quite 

 tame would run for thirty or forty rods and rise in the heavy 

 timber where a shot was next to impossible. Hunting with any 

 dog which would give tongue would make a vast difference in 

 early September, and big bags should be the rule. During our 

 enc impment several grouse were shot with a rifle at a distance 

 of no more than tan or twenty yards. 



About 5 p.m., B'rer Coon was busily engaged in making his 

 celebrated vinegar cocktail when the fishing party returned with 

 a few trout, none of which would turn the half pound, and voted 

 with considerable emphasis the Arnold a complete failure, at 

 least for 15 miles up, beyond which navigation with a canoe was 

 then impossible. Put not thy absolute faith in Club guide books. 



About sunset all four made for Rush lake for the evening duck 

 shooting, and after hastily constructing blinds we sat in our 

 canoes waiting for the coming of the ducks, and the one bright 

 particular spot in our fortnight's trip was the pleasure derived 

 in this lake (or small marshy pond at this time of the year). The 

 Black ducks would sail in with their wings set, and in great 

 numbers and, as no shooting had been done that autumn they 

 were much less wary than is their custom. It was a royal sight 

 to see B'rer Wolf suddenly kneel at the sight of some incoming 

 ducks, and with the reports of his gun see two single ducks leave 

 the flock and drop into the lake, dead, while B'rer Rabbit took 

 care of one or two more. Shooting was kept up until about an 

 hour after sunset, when "all up!" was called and we paddled 

 campward just as the glorious moon rose over the distant 

 mountains of Maine. 



The next day the whole party decided to try the West Branch 

 of the Arnold for trout, so, taking our canoes we paddled to 

 Woburn Wharf, getting four black ducks en route, and thence 

 travelled on foot some five miles, two and a half by road and the 

 balance through bush. 



On arriving at the river we found it choked for some miles 

 with immense spruce and hemlock logs, which had jammed in 

 Spring in a drive and stuck fast until the following Spring when 

 the high waters doubtless carry them to Lake Megantic some 

 miles away. There were a few open spaces where the river was 

 clear but the trout had taken advantage of the shade afforded 

 by the logs and none were caught in the open stretches, although 



