28 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



tired, though not so much so as to prevent him holding 

 back with all the dogged determination of a mule, when 

 an insinuating effort was made to draw him to the boat. 

 The intimation that he was wanted, was, however, one 

 that he found it impossible to resist. Then he tried a 

 furious rush forwards, and leaping fairly out of the 

 water, seemed to try to shake his jaw free from the 

 hook, dashing as fiercely down towards the bottom, when 

 he found it of no use. The reel sang again, as it whirled 

 round with his efforts to release himself; but it was of 

 no use, the skilful hand at the other end of the line, con- 

 stantly and irresistibly urging him towards the boat. 

 At last he rose gasping to the surface, and was drawn 

 within twenty feet of his persecutors ; when catching a 

 sight of them, gave strength to his previously passive 

 terrors, and away he darted through the water, a hun- 

 dred and fifty feet out. But fish against man has small 

 chance, spite of all his twistings and windings, and the 

 end of it was, that he was handed by means of the land- 

 ing net, into the boat, a splendid ten pound trout ! 

 Beautiful and tempting looked he in the clear water ; 

 but oh, ten times more beautiful and tempting looked he 

 on the breakfast table next morning ! A pleased and 

 happy, nay, conceited man, was his captor. 



Pursuing their course, hunting, fishing, story-telling, 

 up Bog River, the lower chain of ponds, surrounded by 

 well wooded hills, was approached ; the river here be- 

 coming broad and shallow, with meadows stretching 

 away on either side. Here the oars were shipped, and 

 the boatmen paddled along, sitting in the stern of the 

 boats, in each of whose bows stood a marksman, with 



