43 



brilliant colours. We then crossed to the shady side and repos- 

 ed oui'selves ; and having discovered a copious spring bubbling 

 through the gravel, close to the -water's edge, we enlarged it 

 into a well, into which we plumped our fish and a bottle of Hod- 

 son's Pale Ale f covering it with green boughs. We then em- 

 ployed ourselves in collecting strawberries for a desert to our 

 sandwich ; and after lunch, enjoyed our cigars, and chatted over 

 our morning exploits. 



"'Fronde sub-arborea, ferventia temperans astra.'" 



" When the shade of the high bank stretched across the river, 

 we resumed our sport, and returned to a late dinner with our ca- 

 leche literally full of fish. A goodly shew they made, as they 

 covered two of Madame Chaperon's largest tables : the sum total 

 being five salmon, weighing 105 pounds, and 48 trout, averaging 

 three pounds a piece. 



'■ Next morning, after an early breakfast, we started for the 

 Chute, taking a tent with us, which we pitched on a knoll over- 

 looking our fishing ground. It proved, however, more orna- 

 mental than useful ; the banks being so umbrageous that we did 

 not require it by day, and we always returned to our lodgings 

 in the evening. 



"Nothing mundane is without its alloy. Our enjoyments 

 were great, with one serious drawback — the flies, those volant 

 leeches that surrounded us — and notwithstanding our defence 

 of camphorated oil smeared over our hands, faces and necks — 

 sucked our blood without compunction. A fly is, considered a 

 stupid creature notwithstanding his powers of observation, but 

 our Malbaie musquitoes were insects of great sagacity, for they 

 appeared to watch their opportunity to take us at a disadvan- 

 tage, and when they saw us occupied in playing a fish, they 

 made play too, and had fifty spears in our skins in half a minute. 

 The little invisible sand flies, too, teased us extremely, and 

 those insidious black wretches, who give no warning, like the 

 honest musquitoe — these crawled about our necks and up our 

 sleeves, tracking their way with blood. 



