PLEASURES OF ANGLING. 215 



resurrection. But after a few had suffered miser- 

 ably and others had died in the effort, the delusion 

 vanished, and now the very sick wisely conclude 

 that while the pure atmosphere of this region is of 

 real service, it has no such miraculous power as 

 has been attributed to it. They find that to be 

 benefited by it they must seek the comfort and 

 repose of a well appointed dwelling rather than 

 the discomforts and inconveniences of camp-life, 

 and that where there is serious illness, " there is 

 no place like home." In the initiative of disease, 

 when the system is enervated by overwork of 

 muscle or brain, it will derive lasting benefit from 

 a summer's sojourn here. But it would be far 

 better if those thus suffering should make this 

 pilgrimage before, rather than after, their malady 

 becomes chronic. 



I had never before been so late in my spring 

 trip to the woods. But I knew too much of the 

 habits and haunts of the trout to waste my time 

 by calling upon them before their house was in 

 order or before they were in the humor to give us 

 a cordial reception. On reaching Martin's, I 

 found a score of disappointed fishermen, bewailing 

 the degeneracy of the waters and the scarcity and 

 shyness of the fish. Because they had always 

 previously had luck early in May, they could not 

 understand why they should now fish in vain. 



