and the Maritime Provinces. 159 



had my staunch old greenheart rod, which had been my companion for 

 many years, and I did not spare it in fighting the fish, for I knew I could 

 rely on it ; but the salmon was an obstinate old veteran and would not 

 yield. I had noticed a piece of driftwood swinging around in the pool 

 but did not know it was of any considerable size until, in an evil moment, 

 the salmon darted beyond it and then across, which brought the line 

 through it, and in a moment the line was wound around a part of the drift 

 stuff, which proved to be a portion of a mass of old roots. 



" It was a sorry mess to be in, for every time the fish moved, it of 

 course dragged the driftwood. I had two good canoe-men, fortunately, 

 and while one kept the canoe in the deepest water the bow-man tried to 

 disentangle the line. His efforts were futile, and I expected every moment 

 that my leader would part ; but the fish, which already had had a pretty 

 hard fight, did not make any very energetic struggles ; it kept on the move 

 and consequently dragging the roots around ; in fact, it thus played itself 

 out just as your two salmon exhausted themselves. It was a thirty-pound 

 fish when brought to gaff, but it was not killed for over an hour after it was 

 hooked." 



" If the roots had been fixed in the water," remarked the Doctor, " it 

 would have resulted differently." 



" Yes, of course, but even though they were floating it was good luck 

 to save the salmon." 



" Yes, Judge," I added, " you are also over modest, for if your rod 

 had, as you say, been in the hands of a tyro, the gaff would not have been 

 needed." 



" Speaking of long contests with salmon," said the Doctor, after a 

 pause, " I was reading recently in the London Field of an extraordinary 

 struggle, one that eclipsed any I had ever heard of. The angler, a Mr. 

 Wood, hooked an enormous fish late in the afternoon ; soon after, evening 

 fell, and for some time the struggle was carried on in the dark ; but Mr. 

 Wood's tackle was good, and as he was an experienced angler, he contrived 

 to keep up the connection till the moon rose. Several persons appear to 

 have been with him at this time, but as hour after hour stole by they left 

 him, having far to go, until the party was reduced to three. Mr. Wood's 

 two companions at length grew weary and lay down under a bush to 

 obtain a few hours' sleep ; and now Mr. Wood, left to himself, continued 

 the struggle alone for hours through the silent night and by the light of 

 the moon. It must have been a grand fight, under these circumstances. 

 At length, when the fish had been about ten hours on the hook, one of 

 Mr. Wood's friends came to his assistance and relieved him of the rod, and 

 worn out, as he well might be, indeed, with the fatigue of such an encoun- 

 ter, he fell soundly asleep. The moon waned, and still the struggle went 



