68 The American Salmon fisherman. 



two of its handle was above the surface, or whether he 

 assayed the fish from the bank, it was all one. Almost 

 before it was possible to realize it the crisis was over, and 

 his assistant was teaching the salmon resignation by the 

 vigorous application of a club or stone to its head. 



At last I came to think this gaff was " big medicine," 

 and that as long as we had it everything would be lovely. 

 I coveted my neighbor's goods. 



The sun sank behind the western hills as calmly regard- 

 less of the fact that it thus closed our salmon-fishing for 

 that year, as the sun is apt to be of human affairs. It was 

 Saturday evening, when fishing is forbidden from six 

 o'clock until Monday morning. I had one nice fish of 

 twenty-eight pounds in the canoe, and had raised a perfect 

 whale to my fly. While in the midst of tendering to him 

 in orderly succession sample after sample from my varied 

 stock of wiles, the voice of one of the river guardians, 

 who had been watching the proceedings from the bank 

 with friendly interest, suggested that the time was up. I 

 reeled in, seeking consolation in the thought that self- 

 denial was a virtue, and that virtue was its own reward. It 

 seemed to me the reward was rather meagre. How will- 

 ingly Avould I have assigned, transferred, and set over all 

 my right, title, and interest in and to the said reward, to 

 any one for another offer from that splendid fish. But 

 the eye of the minion of the law was upon me, and I re- 

 membered that it is recommended, "Affect a virtue if you 

 have it not." So, turning our backs upon the scene, we 

 poled up the river with heavy hearts. 



We approached the house under the eye of our landlord, 

 Tom lugging the heavy fish upon his shoulder. It was a 

 beauty, and after the usual inspection and comments, Tom 



