124 NIEW BRUNSWICK. 



the rings and the reel hissing with the speed. He made 

 a splendid leap and paused. 



I had just time to tell Abraham to swing his boat off 

 the rock where she was resting, when the fish started 

 again. Down he darted ; the rod bent, the line flying 

 through the water, and after him came the pursuers. 

 He hesitated an instant above the worst rapids, and then 

 sped down them ; once in a while I could see him amid 

 the foam and flying spray, as he rolled himself half out 

 of water over some heavy wave ; but my attention 

 was occupied in keeping the line clear of rocks, and not 

 exerting too much strain upon it. Admirably did 

 Abraham handle the canoe. He was alone ; the water 

 seethed and boiled round us broken into a mass of fierce . 

 waves, small cascades and gleaming foam. It poured 

 with raging current over high bowlders, and swept be- 

 tween narrow rocks. He stood erect in the stem, his 

 eye taking the measure of every falls, the strength of 

 every eddy ; he swung the canoe's head first one way 

 then another, easing her down over the higher waves, 

 that, curling against the stream, broke over the bow in 

 mimic showers, and pushing strongly through the circ- 

 ling eddies. Not a rock did he touch, not a moment did 

 the boat escape from perfect command, and when we 

 were launched upon- the quiet bosom of the deep pool at 

 the foot of Burnt Hill Eapids, the fish was on the line. 

 "We each drew a long breath and again exchanged 

 glances. It was a beautiful spot to kill a fish. The 

 water, all white and raging above, formed a broad eddy, 

 that washed the base of the rock on which I now stood. 

 Although there was still a strong current in the centre, 



