344 



PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



able to account for. That all the. inhabitants of a portion 

 of a stream should desist to feed instantaneously, when a 

 few minutes previously they have been seizing with avidity 

 your flies, is the subject on which I should like to heai 

 the opinion of some competent authority. I remember 

 asking an old hand, whose success in his neighborhood 

 was a household world, and his response was that a sudden 

 change in the atmosphere caused it. This answer some- 

 what astonished me, nor could I reconcile myself to the 

 idea that fish which, in the majority of instances, lie some 

 distance beneath the surface of the water, should be cogni- 

 zant of an alteration which is imperceptible to us. 



From continued want of success, I changed my position, 

 and removed to a hole some way farther down. After 

 much difficulty, from the quantity of brush that grew on 

 the margin of the stream, and carrying a rod among such 

 obstacles, I reached the water. The appearance of the 

 pool much pleased me, but it was difficult to fish, from the 

 timber growing so close to the water, and wading being al- 

 most out of the question, from the rough and irregular bot- 

 tom being thickly packed with large boulders. Obliged to 

 make a virtue of necessity, with a short line, and a quick, 

 contracted cast, I commenced operations. My companion 

 informed me that he very much doubted if a line had been 

 wet there that season ; from the result, I think his state- 

 ment must have been correct. Scarcely had my flies 

 touched the water, when two beauties, radiant in their 

 handsome golden hues, simultaneously dashed at the de- 

 ception ; one I hooked firm and strong, and soon brought 

 to net : a dozen times did I go through the same perform- 

 ance, only varied by occasionally hooking a brace at the 

 same cast. I feared, with such incessant work, my perfect 

 little rod would get strained, but I was disinclined to give 

 up. Having once filled my large basket, and being in a 



