314 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 
fortune repeated before many minutes. However, by the 
time I had got thirty yards down the water, I struck an- 
other whose unusual size and activity evoked unlimited ad- 
miration. His first rush was truly magnificent; and as soon 
as I succeeded in stopping his precipitous course, he re- 
turned almost to my hand with the same velocity, prevent- 
ing my immediately recovering the slack of my line. From 
pleasure a moment before I was now nearly in grief, and 
but for luck should certainly have lost my prize. However, 
being thus favored, I got again upon equal terms. A quar- 
ter of an hour more and the gaff pierced his silver coat of 
mail, and I had the satisfaction of capturing a handsome 
and well-made fourteen-pound fish. 
That morning I killed eight fish, the majority weighing — 
about nine pounds, and the number I rose and touched 
must have been quite equal. One salmon I rose six times 
in succession, but ultimately failed to secure: from the 
swirl he left in the water I should imagine he was about 
fifteen pounds. On my way down to the tideway I ob- 
served two new specimens of birds, whose plaintive notes 
were very sweet; their names I have never been able to 
ascertain, but doubtless they belong to the numerous bunt- 
ing family. Cross-bills, snow-birds, and cedar-birds were 
abundantly numerous; and although I did not succeed in 
obtaining any of their nests, I am convinced that they were 
engaged in rearing families, as I perceived several gather- 
ing grubs and insects, with which they flew to the neigh- 
boring brush. 
Having got to the boat, we started for the reef to try 
what could be done with the seals. But they did not like 
our appearance, and commenced scuffling off the rocks and __ 
dropping into the water ere we got within range. How- 
ever, one old scoundrel—grim and savage-looking through 
age — appeared less alarmed than his fellows, and remain- 
