630 AMERICAN ANGLER'S BOOK. 



at the fourth, twenty miles above the mouth ; beyond which the 

 Salmon do not ascend. At these last falls, the chart shows a chain 

 of rocks, or small islands, each separated from the other and extend- 

 ing at a sharp angle diagonally across the river. These divide the 

 stream into four distinct falls, or pitches as they are termed, of forty 

 feet. The pools at the upper, which are on the west side, afford the 

 best sport. Two-thirds of the way up between the mouth and the 

 first falls, the river spreads out to more than twice its ordinary 

 width, and is divided by three islands into as many channels ; and 

 if rapids and pools are found there, the idea is suggested that there 

 may be fishing there also at certain stages of water. The channel 

 between the larger island and the western bank there is called 

 " Dead River" ; and in ascending, it is the course taken when the 

 water is not too high. 



After this brief prelude, I refer the reader to my correspondent's 

 letter. 



St. John, N. B., March 7, 1865. 



My Dear Sir : Your letter dated 25th February was duly received, but 

 having been much engaged, I have not found time to reply till to-day. 



I fear that the information I can give will add but little to " The Ame- 

 rican Angler's Book," as I am no draughtsman and can scarcely give you 

 a plan of the Natashquan ; but am happy to give a short account of our 

 adventures to that excellent Salmon river. 



Our party was made up of four anglers, J. De Wolf Spurr, Esq., Colonel 

 Tryon, John Kinnear, Esq., and myself, who left St. John on the 21st of 

 June, 1864, proceeding by rail to Shediac, and from thence to Gasp6 by the 

 steamer Lady Head, where we chartered a schooner of about forty tons, 

 for the mouth of the Natashquan, where we arrived on the 30th of June, 

 and proceeded directly up the river to the first fall. 



We took our supplies from St. John, and picked up our men at Bathurst 

 and Gaspe, six of them in all. 



At the first fall our prospects for sport were not very flattering, on account 

 of lack of water to bring the fish up the river, past the nets near the mouth ; 

 accordingly two of our party proceeded up the stream to the fourth fall, 

 Mr. Spurr and I remaining behind. 



I remained on the river seventeen days, and fished mostly in the vici- 

 nity of the first fall, and killed in that time only 33 Salmon, averaging 



