18 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



though I gave him both line and time to pouch what had 

 not been intended for a bait, on taking a pull the chub came 

 away, and I was free from the larger antagonist. Having 

 caught sufficient small fry I went home, brooding over my 

 misfortune, but keeping the adventure closely locked in my 

 bosom (selfishness again). About the hour that the sun 

 began to dip behind the giant pines, I had made up my 

 mind to the course I would pursue, which was to .take my 

 pet rod, mount a cast of two flies, and carefully whip the 

 pool from end to end. As if it were but yesterday, I re- 

 member distinctly the flies. The trail one was ginger-col- 

 ored cock's hackle, with light corn-crake wing, tipped with 

 silver ; the dropper a large-sized moth. 



" For work at that hour," I hear some internally mutter, 

 " the moth did the business." No, it did not ; cock's hackles 

 of all shades may invariably be backed against the field, and 

 the cock's hackle on this occasion kept up its reputation. 

 Down on my knees in the bow of the canoe, the camp-keep- 

 er holding her back by a pole in the stern, slowly and cau- 

 tiously I fished the throat, from thence down into the less 

 angry but wider -spread current, when just as my flies 

 passed over an eddy that divided the downward flow from 

 the backwater there was a splash, rapidly responded to by 

 a nervous quick movement of the wrist, which planted the 

 hook firmly home. I doubt if I exaggerate, in fact I think 

 I scarcely state enough, when I say that thirty minutes 

 elapsed before my trophy could sufficiently endure the sight 

 of a landing-net to have it placed under him. Thus was 

 taken the largest river trout (Sdlmo fontinalis) I ever 

 caught. But to my rod : it was made out of cedar from 

 butt to tip, did not exceed nine ounces, and was the most 

 lively, quick, light casting treasure I ever used. Cedar fly- 

 rods I have heard objected to, because they are brittle ; 

 doubtless you may find them so, and your casting-line also, 



