THE THOUSAND ISLES. I93 



We remained on the same spot, rowing round until 

 satisfied we should get no more, when we headed oyer 

 toward the Canadian shore, into the far-famed region of 

 Eel Bay. The latter takes its name from a fly that is 

 found in the iore part of July in immense nimibers on 

 the waters of this region. It appears to one who has 

 small claims as an entomologist to be the May-fly or 

 famous Green and Grey Drake of England. Some that 

 I pressed and brought to the city were recognized at 

 once by the English fly-makers, who were delighted to 

 see an old friend, and made a number of them for me 

 after the pattern, saying that there was but a shade of 

 color between them and what they had. so often pre- 

 pared as the May-fly at home. These flies appear in 

 myriads ; when the wind is northerly, the waves wiU 

 cover the dock at Cape Vincent with them several inches 

 thick. Their body is long and so heavy that in the early 

 morning, when their wings are daflip with the dew, they 

 cannot rise to fly and are readily picked up by their 

 wings, which project invitingly above their backs. Eel 

 Bay is named from the immense quantities of these flies 

 that appear there ; they constitute the principal food of 

 the flsh from which they derive their name, as well as 

 of the Cisco, black and rock bass, chubs, and probably 

 many others. They rise with diflSiculty from the water, 

 and fly^ heavily and slowly. 



Our course carried us across the rapid current of the 

 St. Lawrence, where my boatman was glad to have me 

 haul in my lines, that dragged heavily, as there was no 

 chance of taking fish. We were soon in the bay, an 

 extensive reach formed by a bend in the St. Lawrence, 



9 



