250 OTHER FISH AND GAME 



the outlet of the lake, to their spawning-beds during 

 the month of August. This river is leased to a club 

 that has a month or six weeks of splendid fly-fishing 

 on the preserve in the autumn of every year. I have 

 enjoyed the fishing here for a couple of seasons, and 

 may be excused for repeating the report of a novel 

 experience on the river that I wrote for the Christmas 

 (1893) number of Shooting and Fishing: 



"In a favorite pool of the Jeannotte, where because of conven- 

 ience, as well as to avoid disturbing the water, the fishing is usually 

 done from a rocky shore, I once had an experience that called to 

 mind some capital lines of the late John Boyle O'Reilly, and would 

 seem to indicate that our finny friends are by no means proof 

 against some of the gallantries of the human kind. It was in the 

 middle of September, and I had hooked what subsequently proved 

 to be a very handsome female fish in condition, the very pink of 

 perfection. As my rod was light, less than five ounces in weight, 

 and the fish both heavy and strong, I had rather thoroughly ex- 

 hausted my trout before attempting to bring it to net. To provide 

 against the success of a possible final plunge, I had gradually con- 

 ducted my quarry into a narrow opening running some distance 

 between two low ledges of rock, upon one of which stood my 

 guide, net in hand, ready for the closing scene of the struggle. 

 Then for the first time it was seen that there were two trout instead 

 of one in the little creek or bay into which I had towed my fish. 

 But only one was fast to my line. With a dexterous sweep of the 

 net the guide secured, not in the first instance the fish that had 

 taken the fly, but a handsome red-bellied male, whose determined 

 accompaniment of the securely hooked female into shallow water 

 had rendered him apparently oblivious of the danger into which he 

 was running. And as I reflected upon how much like men these 

 fishes are, I found myself repeating : 



"'What bait do you use,' said a saint to the devil, 



'When you fish where the souls of men abound?' 

 'Well, for special tastes,' said the King of Evil, 

 'Gold and fame are the best I've found.' 



