142 I GO A-FISHING. 



We made a few casts on the lake, and Dupont took a 

 couple of fish one a full pound, and the other three 

 quarters from underneath an old log near the shore. 

 Then we crossed the lake, and went down the river two 

 miles or so, lifting the boats over one ruined bridge, and 

 pausing here and there at the mouths of cold brooks to 

 try if the trout would rise. But we did not find any till 

 we reached the head of the rapids, where we went ashore, 

 put on our wading-trousers, and, standing at the top of 

 the rocky fall, cast over the swift water. Now here was 

 an interesting fact, which I beg you, who are concerned to 

 know the habits of trout, to consider. The rapids were 

 about three hundred feet in length. The water was deep 

 at top and foot. But no trout were to be found above or 

 below the swift water. It was only in the rushing current 

 that they were lying, and here they were innumerable. 

 Casting over the swift water, and drawing the flies rapid- 

 ly up against or across it, would bring up the fish in 

 plenty. There were few large fish. None that we got 

 that day went over a pound, and not many over a half. 

 It made little difference what flies we used. They rose 

 to any thing, and struck sharply. In an hour or two we 

 had killed some fifty or sixty fish, and the sun was now 

 overhead, hot and glaring, and we were getting only small 

 trout. So we stopped our work and went down stream to 

 investigate other places in the deep shadows of the pine 

 groves. 



You never saw a stream more thoroughly fit for trout 

 than this was, full of deep, dark holes under rocks and 

 brush; but there were no trout in it below the rapid. We 

 passed some hours in the vain search for them, and at 

 length came back to the head of the rapids and threw 

 ourselves down on the bank, weary and exhausted with 



