80 A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. 



French verb, egogger^ to spear. Armed with it, and 

 provided with make-shift tenting materials, we has- 

 tened to the lake, and launching our canoe, tried its 

 virtues upon the pickerel. The latter, however, were so 

 scarce, that we rigged up the more effectual spinning 

 tackle, and took a pickerel and a mascallonge of about 

 twelve pounds each, and struck another of the latter 

 very large, weighing, as well as could be guessed, from 

 his passing close to the boat, about forty pounds. That 

 night, provided with flambeaux, we went out for the 

 purpose of again trying to spear pickerel ; but, passing 

 by the outlet of the pond, were so attracted by the 

 numerous salmon, we could get no further. 



It was a romantic sight; the canoe, lit up by the 

 blazing flambeau, that was fastened, high above our heads, 

 to a pole fixed in the bow, and by its glare made the 

 surrounding darkness the more impenetrable ; the silence 

 of the night was unbroken, except by the dip of the 

 paddle ; and calmness of the water unruffled, through 

 which the bewildered salmon lazily floated, following us 

 about, corning so close that we could touch them with 

 our hands, and occasionally jumping frantically into the 

 air, utterly out of their wits and at the mercy of any 

 poacher. Walton was excited, myself enthusiastic, but 

 Joe was frantic; " Egoggez done! egoggez done!" he 

 shouted, wildly pushing at the fish with his paddle, and 

 almost ready to jump out of the boat. My friend held 

 the spear in hand he was a splendid spearsman, and 

 could have filled the boat with salmon ; but it was ille- 

 gal as well as dishonorable to catch them in that manner 

 he wavered but a moment, and then with a sigh lay 



