CHAPTER XXVII 



THE PACIFIC COAST SALMON 



' Nee te puniceo rutDantera visoere, Salmo 

 Transierim, latae cujus vaga verbera caudae 

 Gurgite de medio summas referuntur in iindeis, 

 Oecultus placido cum proditur aequore pulsus. 

 Tu loricato squamosus pectore, frontem 

 Lubrious et dubiae facturus fercula coenae, 

 Tempora longarum fers incorrupta morarum, 

 Praesignis maculis capitis, cui prodiga nutat 

 Alvus, opimatoque fluens abdoiuiae venter.'* 



Ausonius : The Moselle, 97-105. 



ALL anglers know that, as a rule, tlie Pacific Coast salmon 

 mU not take a fly ; also that their habits are totally dis- 

 similar to those of the Atlantic Coast or Europe. But one day 

 hearing that the LinkEiver at Klamath PaUs, Oregon, was alive 

 with salmon, on their way up the river, I determined to 

 give them the benefit of the doubt and make the attempt to 

 take one with a fly. I was towed to a little river by Captain 

 John Griffith's launch ; then Tom Littlefield, my boatman and 

 guide, started to row me into the little river, so charming that 

 I hope many of my readers may some time see it, and that Dr. 

 Henry Van Dyke may some fair day add it to his famous collec- 

 tion of ' Little Eivers.' 



I fancy you would never find it if not told exactly where it is, 



> ' Nor will I pass thee, O Salmon, blushing with thy red flesh, the roving 

 strokes of whose broad tail are borne from the middle of the stream to the 

 top of the water, at such time as the hidden lash betrays itself on the calm 

 surface. Now, clothed in scaly armour, shppery as to thy fore part, and able 

 to constitute a remove for a most excellent dinner, dost bear keeping fresh 

 for a long time ; thou art conspicuous with thy spotted head ; thy full 

 paunch trembles, and thy belly overflows with abdominal fat.' 



Literal translation by Hoitghton. 

 262 



