A CANADIAN RIVER 113 



the cleek. Their dexterity at this game 

 more than once suggested to my mind that 

 they had graduated in a fish-spearing school. 

 I am glad to say that after a time I per- 

 suaded my own men to use a more civilized 

 weapon, and to possess their souls in pa- 

 tience until I gave them a proper chance of 

 securing the fish. It must be remembered 

 that, owing to the dense growth which 

 clothed the river banks, our fish had in nine 

 cases out of ten to be lifted out of the water 

 and into the boat instead of dragged ashore. 

 The men were as skillful in the use of the 

 axe as in that of pole and paddle. New 

 Derreen was surrounded by a dense growth 

 of forest, and we used to spend a good deal 

 of our spare time in clearing away the 

 jungle. In those days I was very fond of 

 cutting down trees, and though I never emu- 

 lated Mr. Gladstone's skill, I was fairly 

 handy with the axe, and rather fancied my- 

 self in the role of a woodman. But these 

 men fairly knocked the conceit out of me. 

 I used sometimes to " take on " a tree in 



