78 A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. 



muddy, while the residue of the shore and bottom is firm 

 white sand. The lake looked, in its broad expanse with 

 the sun dancing on its rippled surface, lovely to us 

 whose eyes had for a time been confined to a narrow 

 gorge or the blue sky above. 



Hastily launching the canoe, we descended the outlet, 

 where the water poured over huge bowlders covered with 

 a long, weedy grass, the seeds of which had been washed 

 from the lake. Walton was standing in the bow of the 

 canoe, and shouted with delight, and waved his paddle 

 enthusiastically in air as salmon after salmon flashed up 

 through the water, and shot by, rapid as light. The 

 sight made our nerves tingle, but it was useless to try 

 for them ; the water was too clear, and they were dark 

 and long run from the sea. At one point he frantically 

 shouted to stop, and hastily explained that he had seen 

 five salmon and numerous large trout in one deep hole. 

 In vain, however, did we cast our flies, they had been 

 frightened, and probably rushed down the stream, for we 

 could not stir a fin. Descending a short distance fur- 

 ther, we halted for dinner, after which, taking advantage 

 of a resting spell, I waded back to the same spot. 



The pool lay close beside a little island covered with 

 alders, and by crawling cautiously I kept out of sight, 

 and reaching the head of the island, cast carefully and 

 lightly round it into the pool. The line went out straight 

 the full length, the fly fell like a snow-flake on the 

 water, there was an angry rush, a mighty splash, a quick 

 taughtening of the line, and an enormous fish was 

 fastened to my frail tackle. In his astonishment he 

 fortunately darted up stream, and by skiUful manage- 



