252 SPORT INDEED 



which gave the best results ; but how often these 

 " buts " come in to upset trout-fishing calculation, and 

 this particular " but " did it effectually a road mas- 

 ter on the Canadian Pacific had been drowned in the 

 treacherous current, and the authorities, hoping to 

 bring his body to the surface, exploded dynamite in all 

 the pools up and down the river for five miles. These 

 explosions, though they did not raise the body, cer- 

 tainly did raise the d 1 with the fish, killing nearly 



all of them. And thus, once more, our fancy and fond 

 hopes of hauling in the speckled beauties on our seven- 

 ounce rods were scattered to the winds. After a whole 

 day's throwing and coaxing with all sorts of flies, 

 minnows and bait, we succeeded in landing only a pal- 

 try dozen or so. 



Ten persons having lost their lives in the river near 

 here within a few months, the ranchers, cowboys, and 

 even the Indians, hold it very much in awe. The 

 water is icy cold, from the melting snow and ice that 

 rushes down from the Rocky Mountains ; the current 

 is swift and full of eddies, rapids and whirlpools ; and 

 the stone on the bottom slippery as an eel. Woe be- 

 tide the man who should lose his footing in fording 

 and get overhead in it. His chances of getting out 

 would be slim indeed. 



We arrived in Banff early in the morning and 

 slipped out before breakfast to see the town and spy 

 out the points of attraction which the Canadian Pa- 



