220 PLEASURES OF ANGLING. 



In August there is not much better fly fishing in 

 all these woods than can be had in Cold and Ray 

 brooks, which empty into the Saranac within a few 

 miles of Martin's ; and the trout are large as well 

 as abundant. But only a few stop to fish there, 

 hoping, often mistakenly, that a longer journey 

 will insure them better sport. But many "go 

 farther and fare worse." In the spring, however, 

 to " go farther " is a necessity, as these brooks are 

 not worth visiting before midsummer. 



I have very pleasant recollections of my two 

 visits to them, last year and the year before, far on 

 in the month of August. Lying some three or 

 four miles off from the straight line to the Ra- 

 quette, I had not, until two years ago, deemed it 

 worth while to experiment in new waters during 

 the brief time I take in August, and so had always 

 previously pushed on to my old haunts, but not 

 always to my entire satisfaction. 



The spring is the time for exploration, and I 

 find no greater pleasure than in following my pilot 

 over untrodden paths, with no other guide than is 

 afforded by the pocket compass or the blazed tree. 

 The tramp is sometimes wearisome, but always 

 charming, both in anticipation and in realization. 

 As I look back upon these excursions, a thousand 

 delightful reminiscences come to me as freshly and 

 as vividly as if some of them did not reach back 



