536 AMERICAN ANGLER'S BOOK. 



Nor. (laying down the letter.) Whe-e-euh ! that's a whopper. 



Nes. Which, the fish or the story ? 



Nor. Both — the story, in particular. You ought to have 

 asked that man to fall a pound or two. 



Nes. I thought it was rather a "fish story," but I believe 

 that there are Lake Trout of that size. 



Nor. You are a good believer, Nestor, and I must confess 



that I have tried your faith a little myself, on one or two 



occasions. But when I hear it "piled up" in that way, I say, 



with fat old Jack, " Lord, how this world is given to lying !" I 



see, though, your journal is bringing us towards the Sault at 



last. 



[Beads again.] 



"On a bright June morning, at sunrise, I started on a 

 steamboat, the first that ever made the passage to the Sault; 

 it was her second trip. The only way of reaching it before 

 this time, was in Mackinaw boats in summer, and on snow- 

 shoes and dog-sleds in winter. I arrived in nine hours, and 

 stopped with Mr. Barbier, an old voyageur and guide, whose 

 life has been spent in this wilderness of woods and waters. 

 He keeps a store with a general assortment of Indian goods, 

 which he sells for money, or barters for furs, sun-dried corn, 

 and maple sugar. 



" There is no cascade, or what might properly be called a 

 fall, in the outlet of Lake Superior, but the 'Sault,' as the 

 word implies, is a rapid, or a succession of them. There is a 

 descent of about twenty-five feet in three-quarters of a mile. 

 A canal to pass the rapids has been projected, and already 

 commenced by the government, which will open all the rich 

 copper region on -the lake, to the navigation of steamboats and 

 sailing-craft of moderate draft of water. A brig and a 

 schooner, built on the lake above, were taken safely down 

 the rapids last summer. It is about fifteen miles to Gros 



