19(> With Rod a?id Gun in A T ew England 



£ 



note. We had ten or a dozen pools at our disposal, which in our three 

 days on the stream gave us all the fish we desired ; in fact, our catch was 

 superior, both in weight and numbers, to that of any previous year. 



On the morning of our fourth day we reached the head of our last 

 stretch of rapids below which was the only large pool left for our fishing. 

 It was decided that our canoe should take the lead, and with the Doctor 

 in the bow and Francois in the stern we passed over the crest at the head 

 of the rapids. The canoe, at first impelled by a push of the setting-poles, 

 soon moved more quickly as it felt the increasing rapidity of the current, 

 and in a very short time the roar of the " White Rapids " was heard and 

 soon we were being tossed about by the seething water. What is there 

 more exhilarating than a slide in " a birch " down a steep incline of rush- 

 ing, angry water ? The frail canoe is borne along like an egg-shell by the 

 wild current, which dashes between and over threatening bowlders and 

 treacherous ledges, and if it were not guided by skilled hands it would be 

 quickly dashed to pieces, and its occupants would have but a slim chance 

 for their lives. Ours was a dizzying dash while it lasted, and we had one 

 or two narrow escapes, but the Doctor and Francois, handling their poles 

 with the greatest dexterity, proved themselves masters of the situation, 

 and safely steered us through the dangerous passage. 



" By Jove," exclaimed the Doctor, " I don't remember ever crowding 

 into the same length of time quite §o much excitement as I felt during that 

 wild rush." 



"Yes," I replied, "it was a wild run as you say, over a mile in length 

 and all done in a very few minutes." 



" Over a mile ! Why, it seemed not a fraction of that distance, but we 

 fairly flew a portion of the time." 



" Yes, we did seem to fly, eh, Francois " ? I said to the guide. 



Francois replied with a grin; it was an old story with him. 



At the lower end of these rapids there was a long stretch of compara- 

 tively smooth water, and the canoe glided along, impelled by the paddle of 

 the guide. 



Following this was another series of rapids, which we ran with safety, 

 and these were followed by many small pools, which looked as if they 

 might be inhabited, but, although I cast my rlies faithfully over every 

 promising spot, I failed to rise a fish. 



At last we reached our destination, the head of " Big pool," the 

 largest and most famous of any on the river; in length perhaps fifteen 

 rods, and in width seven or eight. It was shut in on both sides by steep, 

 high cliffs of brown sandstone which were surmounted by stunted pines 

 and spruce trees. 



Rising as these cliffs did abruptly from the river there was no chance 

 to fish the pool except from a point near the inlet, or from a canoe. Land- 



