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Fishing in North Carolina. 19 



It is frolicsome, it is tiresome catching the 

 gourd ; it is unsportsmanlike taking treble laiots 

 on a fish, and I do not recommend it, even to 

 a lazy person. 



The best fishing water is usually located 

 where there is the least and poorest accommoda- 

 tion — where there are plenty of fleas and bed- 

 bugs, but no beds. The bug does not bother me 

 by biting nor does the flea want my blood; but 

 the latter gets so numerous and playful on occa- 

 sions as to spoil a fisherman's temper, which is 

 a pity. 



In Portugal where I fished and incidentally 

 represented the United States Government as 

 Consul for three years, the mountain or 

 speckled trout fishing was fine. There I also 

 got most intimate with fleas. The best fish 

 brooks were up in the Sierra Mountains, and the 

 village inns were at the bottom of the moun- 

 tains. These inns are two-story stone buildings, 

 the bottom being used as stables on the compre- 

 hensive idea that the ammonia generated there 

 penetrating to the upper floor inhabited by fleas 

 day and night is good for health. The fleas are 



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