and the Maritime Provinces. 189 



" It is, Judge, I added ; " I have taken the white perch in the Schoodic 

 lakes that weighed over three pounds, and on a fly at that. Like you I 

 regard the white perch as one of the finest of pan-fish, particularly when 

 caught in tidal waters. It is abundant almost everywhere in New England 

 and in many localities in the Provinces." 



" The smelt is the most delicious of all the small tide-water fish," said 

 the Doctor, " and one can at times obtain pretty good sport with it. I have 

 seen specimens in the bays of Prince Edward island that would weigh 

 nearly, if not quite a pound. In the spawning time in June, in Nova Sco- 

 tia and New Brunswick, the streams are literally packed with them ; in fact, 

 they are so abundant that I have seen hundreds of barrels of them caught 

 in seines and used for fertilizing the soil." 



" What a shame " ! exclaimed the Judge ; " a bonne bouche like the 

 smelt should be used only as food, and when dressed a la tartare it is a 

 tit-bit of the greatest excellence." 



Our conversation now passed into a variety of topics which would have 

 no attraction for the average reader and I will not, therefore, make a 

 record of it here. Bedtime at length arrived, and in a short time my com. 

 panions were asleep. 



I was wakeful, for our contemplated move down the river meant the 

 near return to the worry and anxiety of city life. I knew it was inevitable, 

 but it was far from pleasant to me to contemplate. My outings are my 

 chief, if not my only recreation, and naturally I dislike to curtail them in 

 the slightest measure. To be sure, if we were always on pleasure bent we 

 would soon become selfish, worthless drones, but I confess that I should 

 like the opportunity, for once, to linger in the woods until I grow weary of 

 them. I have never yet, in my many years' experience, longed to get away 

 from them. 



On the following morning we arose with the sun, and after disposing 

 of a generous breakfast, the last to be eaten at our home-like camp, we 

 began to move our baggage around by the carry road to the pool below 

 the falls. Our canoes would be very heavily loaded, and a nice adjust- 

 ment of our freight was necessary. 



As we had several comfortable log camps on the stream the tents 

 were not needed, and were left until the guides could return and remove 

 them. In the first canoe were the Judge, Hiram, and William, and in the 

 other were the Doctor, Francois, and myself. The Doctor, who was an 

 expert with the setting-pole, took the bow, and I the middle of the canoe. 



I love to use the paddle, and in earlier days plied the setting-pole 

 with a good degree of skill ; but increasing years and avoirdupois have 

 unfitted me for work among the rapids, and I yield the pole to more 

 active and quicker-sighted men. 



Our passage down the river was marked by no incident of special 



