190 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



angler, like a poet, nascitur, non jit. "With a refresh- 

 ing disregard of the convenances of the piscatorial art, 

 I reeled up my line at railroad pace ; and before the 

 astonished 4 -pound grilse had time to consider where 

 he would run, he was being dragged out of the water 

 bodily, with as little consideration as would have been 

 shown to a roach. Fortunately old Newell was ready 

 with the gaff, and relieved my taut line of the respon- 

 sibility of lifting the prize by main force into the 

 canoe ; and my victim was through his agency deposited 

 at my feet. For a moment exultation at my prowess 

 overpowered all other sentiments. Then, reviving to 

 the consideration of mundane affairs, I looked modestly 

 round for applause. Never was man so disappointed. 

 S. reclined in the stern of his canoe with an absolutely 

 stupefied expression of horror on his features. He 

 reminded me of the celebrated American mule-driver, 

 who, when all his mules bolted on one occasion, in- 

 stead of surpassing his usual profane eloquence as had 

 been expected, looked after them with the remark, 

 "He hadn't words to do justice to the occasion." 



Silently did my host motion to me for my rod ; 

 silently did he proceed to divest it of its line ; with 

 equal taciturnity did he replace it by what appeared 

 to me a mere thread ; without a word did he replace 

 the deadly implement in my hand ; then he cast a 

 pitying glance at the defunct grilse, and, the sight 

 proving too much even for his iron nerves, remarked, 

 " Good heavens ! that I should have lived to see a 



