104 TRAVELS IN THE EIGHTIES. 



five pounds probably, and as it was leaping and 

 covering us with water, he struck at it and missed it 

 three times with the gaff, and at length touched and 

 broke the line. At first the thought of a capsized 

 canoe and of two men floating down the current, cling- 

 ing to air cushions, was inseparably connected in my 

 mind with playing a big fish, and especially with 

 gaffing one out of- an unsteady canoe. The canoe 

 proved steadier, however, than I had anticipated. 



In an hour the gathering dusk of night compelled 

 us to cease and turn the canoe towards the bright fire 

 that Olivier had made on the island, and from which 

 we had never been farther distant than a hundred 

 yards, with six land-locked salmon, the largest five 

 and a half pounds, the others each about a pound less, 

 and two pike-perch (doree\ livelier than ever, and 

 snapping their serrated jaws with vindictive vitality. 

 We had but two other touches, and lost one fish all 

 in an hour. 



For three days we enjoyed admirable sport, landing 

 none over six pounds, although they are said to run to 

 eight pounds ; but, on the other hand, none under two 

 pounds, besides doree and pike, but no trout. I 

 determined that the next morning we must leave. 

 Olivier had meantime smoked over the fire thirteen 

 salmon under a wonderful shed made of birch-bark to 

 keep off the rain. 



" Homme propose mais Dieu dispose; " for next day, 

 as we were preparing to start, a breeze sprang up which 

 made it unsafe to embark in a canoe even to leeward 



