PLEASURES OF ANGLING. 161 



gotten. No ; it is not all of fishing to fish. That 

 is but an incident in the angler's pleasant pastime. 

 They have other and higher, if not more invigora- 

 ting and exhilarating tastes to gratify. This beau- 

 tiful picture of the poet is as often in their mind's 

 eye as the rush and leap of the silver salmon : 



The trees are bursting iuto bud and bloom ; 



The hills lie blue beneath a sapphire sky; 

 The birds breathe music, and the flowers perfume ; 



The pools lie placid as a maiden's eye. 



I am sure that no one of our party would be 

 content to visit any salmon river if they were 

 restricted to such narrow limits as would afford 

 them no variety in landscape, and no range for 

 adventure. Quite as much pleasure is derived from 

 experimenting in untried waters and in hunting 

 up new bits of scenery, as in running up a great 

 " score " to excite the admiration of partial friends 

 or kindle the ire of envious rivals. 



As the summer tourist often finds the most 

 charming nooks by diverging from the beaten path, 

 so does the angler often find the most attractive 

 scenery by following up some half-hidden brook or 

 rivulet which empties its crystal waters into the 

 more majestic river which bears them to the sea. 

 I had often fished the " Escumenack pool," which 

 lies at the mouth of the river of that name, and 

 had as often resolved to explore its hidden chan- 



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