PLEASURES OF ANGLING. 177 



has an unobstructed sweep from three directions, 

 and nothing is lacking in tent or larder to render 

 our temporary resting place an angler's elysium. 



The early hours of our first day were full of 

 forest music. An occasional bird whistled out his 

 morning orisons. The murmur of the running 

 water was pleasant to the ear, and the splash of 

 the leaping salmon could be heard distinctly above 

 the monotonous sough of the pines as they were 

 waved to and fro by the balmy breath of the 

 cloudless morning. What we knew of these pools 

 rendered us impatient to test them, and much ear- 

 lier than usual we were busy adjusting our rods 

 and reels for the fray. To the curiosity which 

 always accompanies the opportunity to cast in new 

 waters was superadded the excitement caused by 

 the salmon quadrille in full play within short pis 

 tol range of the camp. Every leap seemed a chal- 

 lenge, and gave promise of grander sport than we 

 had yet experienced. 



There was a good pool for each of us, and each 

 proceeded in his own way to make the best use of 

 his rare opportunity. The General had the first 

 rise. All the signs indicated that he was fast to a 

 fish of unusual weight. The initiatory rush and 

 leap were prodigious, taking out nearly every foot 

 of line and compelling a rapid forward movement 

 23 



