47 



covered with almost impenetrable jungle ; but after great exer- 

 tions, we explored to the distance of four or five miles, yet only 

 got one small salmon, which my friend caught, for our pains. 

 The river, as far as we could reach, was a continuous succession 

 of rapids and falls from one enormous granite roclc to another. 



" On our return we disturbed a huge bear, who was busily 

 employed in tearing up a large rotten pine to get at a colony of 

 ants that inhabited it. "We stopped and so did he ; feeling, no 

 doubt, as displeased as any christian, at being interrupted in his 

 meal. He then wallted away, and as we had left our guns at 

 the boat, we felt no inclination to follow him. 



" Next day we returned to Chaperon's and the following morn- 

 ing visited the Chute and found that a fresh batch of fine trout 

 had made their way up the river, low as it was, which afforded 

 us capital sport ; rising greedily at our salmon-flies, and very 

 lively and strong on the line — but we could see no salmon until 

 late in the evening, when we noticed a very large one sucking 

 in some email flies in the middle of the stream. We embarked 

 in the canoe, and both covered him, endeavouring to tempt his 

 palate by various flies resembling those on the water ; using at 

 the same time a single gut casting line, but all in vain. At last, 

 just before starting for home, I tried one more cast over him, 

 when he rose like a young whale, and I found him firm on the 

 hook. The tackle was slender, no doubt, but the delicate fibre 

 that held him prisoner was of the best description, and, though 

 of nearly invisible tenuity, possessed great strength, which the 

 flexibility of a long and admirable rod materially assisted. Great 

 was the 



-certamlnis gaudium. ' 



during the exciting- play of that noble fish, and many, many ap- 

 prehensions had we of the result. But the staunch O'Shaughnessy 

 kept its hold, and the tenacious gut failed not. Finally, after 

 tt glorious struggle of an hour and a quarter, this magnificent 

 fish lay gasping on the sand. It weighed twenty-eight French 

 pounds, or about thirty-one English. 



