314 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



fortune repeated before many minutes. However, by the 

 time I had got thirty yards down the water, I struck an- 

 other whose unusual size and activity evoked unlimited ad- 

 miration. His first rush was truly magnificent; and as soon 

 as I succeeded in stopping his precipitous course, he re- 

 turned almost to my hand with the same velocity, prevent- 

 ing my immediately recovering the slack of my line. From 

 pleasure a moment before I was now nearly in grief, and 

 but for luck should certainly have lost my prize. However, 

 being thus favored, I got again upon equal terms. A quar- 

 ter of an hour more and the gaff pierced his silver coat of 

 mail, and I had the satisfaction of capturing a handsome 

 and well-made fourteen-pound fish. 



That morning I killed eight fish, the majority weighing 

 about nine pounds, and the number I rose and touched 

 must have been quite equal. One salmon I rose six times 

 in succession, but ultimately failed to secure: from the 

 swirl he left in the water I should imagine he was about 

 fifteen pounds. On my way down to the tideway I ob- 

 served two new specimens of birds, whose plaintive notes 

 were very sweet ; their names I have never been able to 

 ascertain, but doubtless they belong to the numerous bunt- 

 ing family. Cross-bills, snow-birds, and cedar-birds were 

 abundantly numerous ; and although I did not succeed in 

 obtaining any of their nests, I am convinced that they were 

 engaged in rearing families, as I perceived several gather- 

 ing grubs and insects, with which they flew to the neigh- 

 boring brush. 



Having got to the boat, we started for the reef to try 

 what could be done with the seals. But they did not like 

 our appearance, and commenced scuffling off the rocks and 

 dropping into the water ere we got within range. How- 

 ever, one old scoundrel grim and savage-looking through 

 age appeared less alarmed than his fellows, and remain- 



