AMERICAN ANGLER'S BOOK. 



h<> missed. Try him once more and you'll strike. Now he's on ; let your 

 reel run ; there he goes up-stream. How nicely he springs out of the 

 water ! he's got frightened, and don't know what's the rumpus. Reel him 

 in a little ; don't pull too hard, or you'll break your pole ; you see, it's 

 bent double already. Just hold him tight enough to guide him, and he'll 

 tire himself out in a few minutes ; he can't stand it long, dashing about at 

 this rate. Don't get too much excited, or he'll fool you yet. When you 

 strike a fish you must be cool and collected. You see they are of an ex- 

 citable temperament, and when they get the barb into their mouths they 

 become agitated ; they are also gamy, and make a good fight, and conse- 

 quently, if you are anywise rash, and attempt to get them in too soon, ten 

 to one you'll break your line. Now you see the rascal has started down- 

 stream for the river, and thinks if he gets into deep water he'll be out of 

 the way. Let him slide ; let your reel go out its full length. Now he's 

 still ; he don't feel you pull, and thinks he's safe. Begin and reel him up. 

 Now he's waked up again worse than ever. Don't he go pretty ? Just 

 hold him steady up the stream, and as his mouth is wide open, he'll drown 

 soon ; because, if you drown a Trout he thereby becomes dead, and when 

 dead, is in a perfectly passive state. See, his struggles are becoming 

 feebler and feebler; you'll have him soon. Be patient: now he's still; 

 put him up ^o the side of the boat, and take hold of him just behind the 

 gills. There, isn't he a beauty? Don't those bright spots and silver 

 stripes go to your heart? Don't you wish you were as good-looking as a 

 Trout ? Wouldn't you captivate your friends ? 



The shades of eve begin to fall. I sit in the foot ; N a little below ; 



H above. It is still as night, except the repeated splash of fish as 



they rise at the fly, or as they struggle in vain attempts to escape. 



I have at various times, in various places, made various statements with 

 regard to our success upon that particular afternoon, none of which have 

 as yet been believed. Friends, of whom I had a right to expect better 

 things, have upon occasions winked knowingly when I have narrated my 

 experience ; some have laughed outright ; some have remarked unreserv- 

 edly that that was a " fish story." Others have detected seeming incon- 

 sistencies, and irreverently asked for explanations ; and again it has been 

 inquired which was the trout, and which was the gin. I therefore will 

 content myself with the following statement, made upon honor, that in a 

 very short time we caught a very large number of fish; 



While we were fishing, our guide was pitching our tent. Our guide 

 was a great institution ; he was a complete backwoodsman. With an axe 



