204 SALMON FISHING IN CANADA. 



started in high spirits for the falls, forty miles from the 

 mouth, with full hope and expectation of making up our 

 bag to a hundred salmon, having up to this period killed 

 seventy- eight. At four o'clock in the morning of the 13th 

 of July the canoes were alongside, and away we went, 

 pulling up the river for about nine miles, which from 

 thence assumed a bolder character, and as we went on 

 increased in beauty and grandeur every pull. Some of 

 the cliffs were perfectly beautiful. We encamped at about 

 thirty miles from the mouth of the river upon an island, 

 dined, and left early in the morning, arriving at the falls 

 about ten o'clock, where we beheld the most beautiful 

 pools and sweeps and salmon beds you can imagine ; but 

 what was our horror at beholding, instead of salmon, that 

 at least 500 seals had taken possession, and from that 

 moment we despaired. We fished, however, but in vain ; 

 and after spending the day in fruitless efforts and unavail- 

 ing regrets, and muttering curses loud and deep, and after 

 slaughtering a dozen of the poor beasts with our rifles, we 

 started again for the vessel, running down the river in a 

 day. Here was a quandary. It was time for us to go 

 back, and we were all anxious to do so, but then how to 

 make up the number of our salmon? At length we decided 

 to run back to the Groodbout and give the pool a last fish- 

 ing. We left accordingly with morning, and at eight 

 o'clock were safely moored and handing Franyois a glass of 

 wine. Next morning we went up to the pool, but alas, my 



