34 



FOREST AND (STREAM 



made up a kind of bed on the floor, and then, first scrupu- 

 lously shutting the door and window, about half past nine 

 o'clock, set us the example to retire by bundling into bed, 

 clothes and all. Their son, a boy fifteen years of age, next 

 sprang nimbly into a small crib beside the paternal four- 

 poster, or rather what answered for one, Then De Courey 

 and self slipped under our scanty sheet and rug, and next 

 the husband, who, owing to our bed place being at one side 

 of his, had to scramble up over the bottom rails, and lastly 

 Flanigan took up his berth in a straight-backed chair, and 

 resting his heels on the top of the stove (where a fire had 

 been lit in our honor), prepared to make himself comfort- 

 able for the night. It waf a close pack, and likely to be a 

 hot one, the whole scene reminding one forcibly of a "Pull- 

 man" sleeping car, where protruding above the curtain you 

 may see a hand hanging, then a skirt, then a petticoat, and 

 so on ad infinitum, the only difference being that in our 

 ease there was no curtain, and it constantly required a good 

 deal of careful manoeuvreing on our parts to divest our- 

 selves of our nether habiliments without shocking the good 

 lady's sense of propriety. However, at last that was unfait 

 accompli, and being thoroughly tired we soon dropped off to 

 sleep, confused ideas of shipwrecked sailors, half -starved 

 mariners, and oilier strange fancies running in our heads. 



On waking next morning about eight o'clock we found 

 the rest of the family up and dressed. Luckily M. Ga- 

 mache and his wi% probably not so tired as we were, had 

 awoke early and dreised while we slept ;. otherwise, had we 

 all "come to" about the same hour, the consequences would 

 have been awkward to say the least. The baking we had 

 undergone during the night prevented us feeling as fresh 

 as we should have done after our long rest, but a dip in the 

 river, 200 yards above the house, where there was a deep 

 pool, soon set us to rights. Becscie river, so called from 

 the number of shell drakes formerly found here (beexcie 

 being the French name for that bird), would perhaps be bet- 

 ter described as a stream, since, though extending some dis- 

 tance inland, the width only averages from twenty to thirty 

 feet, and the depth one foot, save in pools and stretches of 

 ' 'dead" water, where there is from three to eighteen feet. 

 It has its source in a small lake sixteen miles to the north- 

 east, and for the first ten miles the bed of the river is 

 nearly dry. As it approaches the sea, however, it is fed by 

 numerous small tributaries, which so increase the supply of 

 water that the current during the last few miles is extremely 

 rapid, and, as we found, very difficult to stem in a canoe. 

 The channel is altogether stone, in some places large slabs of 

 limestone, but for the most part shingle and small rpugh 

 stones, forming frequent rapids some over one mile in 

 length, with a depth of water of six or seven inches. The 

 lmcl it passes through is low and thickly wooded, the lim- 

 ber sloping down to the water's edge, and after winding in 

 a succession of picturesque bends the river enters the sea 

 at the head of a small inlet, about 400 yards wide by 200 

 deep. On a narrow clearing on the right bank, where the 

 land is somewhat higher, and overlooking the river, stands 

 the "cabin" we now found ourselves in. The small win- 

 dow sashes, heavy rafters, with here and there a bolt pro- 

 truding, and planks studded w^th many a nail, indicate the 

 origin of its construction, which a glance at the paper 

 pasted over the walls (sheets from an old "log" book) con- 

 firms. Built forty years ago from the wreck of a brig cast 

 away near the mouth of the river, it has been successively 

 occupied by trappers engaged in hunting otter and marten 

 in the woods bordering the neighboring streams. Its present 

 proprietor, Absalom Gamache, is the only surviving son of 

 G-amache of Ellis Bay notoriety. He is a middle-aged man, 

 rather'above the average height, but with an habitual stoop, 

 winch makes him appear shorter than he really is. Small, 

 piercing grey eyes, deeply set under shaggy eyebrows, and 

 half hidden by long rusty black hair, which hangs in tufts 

 over his forehead and blows in wild clusters round his ears 

 and neck, give a weird expression to a thin angular face, 

 tanned by constant exposure to every kind of weather and 

 scanty ablutions to a dirty brown — such is the picture of a 

 man who, in his younger days, was a wild character, inher- 

 iting from his father a total absence of fear and disregard 

 of life, either of his own or that of any other human being 

 who thwarted his wishes. From all accounts the Gamache 

 family were an awkward one to have dealings with, ugly 

 .stories being told of shipwrecked sailors who with their 

 vessels had been cast ashore, but who, on the principle that, 

 "dead men tell no tales," had been quietly disposed of 

 while some member of the family appropriated whatever 

 the ship contained. Our friend Absalom does not appear 

 to have entertained any great regard for his worthy sire, as 

 a few years ago, when on a fishing trip, he told Hamilton 

 (our boatman) that "he would not die happy unless he got 

 a shot at the ole man." His father, to whom he thus jocu- 

 larly alluded, however, no doubt out of spite, killed him- 

 self in a drinking bout, and so saved his affectionate son 

 the trouble, though history does not tell whether the disap- 

 pointment has preyed deeply on the latter's mind. In the 

 afternoon we walked up to the lower salmon pool, 200 

 yards from the mouth of the stream. The water there, as 

 indeed we found throughout the island, is of a rich brown 

 color, but with a peculiar golden shade, which gives it 

 wonderful transparency, so that had there been salmon in 

 the pool we could hardly have escaped seeing them. We 

 failed, however, to find any trace either of salmon or trout, 

 and resolved next morning to try our luck at the upper 

 pool, between three and four miles higher up. As we did 

 not care for a repetition of the previous night's sleeping 

 arrangements, we had a tent, rigged up with sails from Ga- 

 mache's boats, made on the beach, and as we still felt the 

 .effects of our tramp turned in early and slept well. 



On. jetting up about six o'clock we were glad to find the 

 Indians had arrived, having been prevented by the heavy 

 sea from pushing on yesterday. They had been employed 

 in the forenoon in putting on strips of canvas and generally 

 patching the bottom of the canoe, which had been a good 

 deal rubbed from contact with the sharp reefs. About 

 twelve o'clock I started with Gamache for the river, leav- 

 ing De Courey and Flanigan to await the afternoon tide' 

 whem they purposed crossing the bay in search of duck. 

 Skirting the right bank of the stream for a few hundred 

 yards we then stnack into the woods and followed a rough, 

 tortuous path, cleared by Gamache for trapping purposes. 

 From this main path several smaller ones branch off in 

 different directions, and at irregular distances we passed 

 marten traps, which were being put in working order for 

 the coming winter. Otter and marten were formerly very 

 plentiful in these woods, but some ten years ago a party 

 from the main land, not content with legitimate trapping, 

 spread a quantity of. poison on the ground. They reaped 

 but scanty benefit themselves, as but one-third of the ani- 

 mals that were killed were ever found, but when the snow 

 cleared away in the following spring hundreds of skeletons 

 of foxes, otter, marten, and even bear, were found through- 

 out the island. The poison, though originally confined to 

 a comparatively small tract, had been carried far and wide 

 by the unfortunate animals in their wanderings, and as they 

 died the beasts that preyed upon their tainted carcasses in 

 their turn fell victims to the foul scourge. The fur-bearing 

 animals had been well nigh exterminated, and it is only 

 within the last year or two that, thanks to protective mea- 

 sures (which offer a reward for information that will lead 

 to the conviction, and inflict a heavy fine on the culprit 

 guilty of such a dastardly act) their increasing numbers 

 show that they are beginning to recover from the almost 

 fatal shock they sustained. Nearly all the trapping is done 

 when the snow is on the ground, and though Gamaehe's 

 snares are spread over a wide district, some twenty miles 

 long by six or seven in width, if he captures half a dozen 

 marten and nine or ten otter during the season he considers 

 himself lucky. 



Following our rugged pathway, which lies now deep in 

 the recesses of the wood, where so thickly grow the spruces 

 that the sun's chary rays can with difficulty penetrate the 

 overarching and tangled boughs, and where our axes are 

 frequently required to cut away the windfalls, which block 

 up and sometimes totally conceal the path, now emerging 

 in a larger and clearer growth of timber, where the foliage 

 of the white and black birch and the ash forms a pleasing 

 variety to the dark green of the never-changing spruce. 

 Here the ground is bright with the scarlet of the "pigeon 

 berry" (Oornujs ('^imdeiim) and the snow white fruit of the 

 "maidenhair" plant (&g$)iUfflrt<fy, while amongst other vege- 

 tation we observe the "cow cabbage" {Clintouia Boreali*), 

 with clusters of bluish-purple berries and "Solomon's seal" 

 {Htn.ptirpiisi "Robius), with its luscious red pendulent fruit. 

 Black and red currants, raspberries, and in the grassy open- 

 ing* strawberries, grow in wildest profusion, and while 

 here I may remark that in wild fruit and edible berries An- 

 ticost'i appears prolific. Of the former we saw quantities 

 of nwpberry and strawberry plants, and though the fruit 

 w>t* how nearly all gone the little that remained was in 

 flavor fully equal to that of the garden. Red and black 

 currants, too, were abundant. Of the latter there are two 

 varieties — one similar to the garden berry, the other cov- 

 ered with prickles and slightly bitter to the taste. Besides 

 the above, high bush cranberries ( Viburnum Opuius), with 

 red, cherry-like fruit, grew in great profusion on the river 

 banks, while on the low grassy bottoms skirting the beach 

 strips two or three hundred yards in length were covered 

 with gooseberry bushes. The low cranberry we did not 

 come across, though I believe on the peaty ground further 

 south it is found in large numbers. Of berries the princi- 

 pal was the "maidenhair" in the woods and the "squash" 

 in the barrens, both of which make delicious preserves, the 

 former selling in Gaspe for fifty cents a gallon. 



Anon the circuitous winding of the path brings us to a 

 bank overlooking the river, which flows in a rapid, foam- 

 flecked stream some thirty feet below, and whose ripple 

 sounds sweet and refreshing after the utter solitude of the 

 woods we have just traversed. Fording the river we strike 

 a path on the opposite bank, and a few hundred yards fur- 

 ther up lies the salmon hole. In shape it is somewhat sim- 

 ilar to a basin, the depth in the centre' being eighteen to 

 twenty feet, gradually shoaling towards the edges, and the 

 length about thirty yards by twenty-five in the widest part. 

 A few years ago the pool was seined, and roots, rocks, 

 driftwood and other obstacles underlying the banks, and 

 which would have torn a seine, have all been removed, so 

 that now there is nothing that can possibly foul one's line. 

 Though the trees and shrubs fringe the bank on either side, 

 and render fly fishing impossibler a small gravel bank at 

 the foot of the pool serves both as a good casting spot, and, 

 dividing the stream into two narrow channels, with a depth 

 of water of from one to three feet, lessens the chances of 

 fish escaping in that direction. Above the hole the river 

 sweeps suddenly to the right, and forms a succession of 

 long rapids and quiet pools, the latter well stocked with 

 trout. Peering cautiously through the alder bushes on the 

 left bank we saw that which made our hearts throb and 

 sent the blood coursing riotously through our veins, for 

 there, with head up stream, and underlying the current, 

 which Avhirls in circling eddies far overhead, lay some 

 fifteen or twenty dark-colored bodies, scarcely distinguish- 

 able from the ground on which they rest. Presently some- 

 thing slioots from out the apparently inanimate mass, and 

 there inder the opposing bank the water breaks and a mo- 



mentary gleam of his silver livery marks the leap of a 

 noble salmon. Peter is delighted beyond measure, but de- 

 termined not to appear too sanguine to my "Web, Peter 

 any luck to-day, think you ?" replies with a laconic "meb- 

 be." The bright flash of his eye. and the flush that mari- 

 nes his sallow cheek, shows that he anticipates a good day's 

 sport, and hastily putting my rod together, and tying on a 

 large dullish fly, I cast near the head of the pool. ' 



To detail the anxiety with which my eye followed every 

 motion of the fly, as now dropping it into the eddying cur- 

 rent, now throwing it under either bank, now allowing it, 

 to trail lightly on the surface, would be tedious ; suffice it 

 that for nearly an hour I whipped the hole without a rise, 

 or any token that might lead me to infer that it contained 

 salmon. However, we had ocular proof that the fish were 

 there, so substituting a small gaudy fly I threw it just above 

 the spot where they lay. The effect was marvellous. 

 Hardly had it touched the water ere I had a rise. In my 

 eagerness I was too quick, and missed striking. Another 

 cast followed by another rise, and again the fish escapes. Bad 

 angling this, and so it is, and has excited the indignation of 

 the Indian, for he whispers in a voice which ill-conceals his 

 vexation, "Me tink you too much hurry." Quite right, 

 Peter, there lies the secret. So steadying my nerves and 

 waiting a few minutes I try another cast. Bah ! I have 

 frightened them, and my friend is not to be taken in again 

 think I, in disgust, as the fly unnoticed floats down stream. 

 No, by Jove ! there he is at it again. Now he seizes it ! 

 Wait yet a moment. See, he has discovered his mistake, 

 and is about to turn and be off. Now's your time ; strike 

 quick and sharp ; and the next instant the strain on the rod 

 and the merry click of the reel a"s the line slips rapidly off 

 assures me of success so far. Thirty yards have run off 

 my reel, and as he nears the head of the pool and there 

 seems to be no diminution of the speed with which the line 

 still continues to unwind, I thought he was about to make 

 for the rapids. Luckily he did not, for though the water is 

 shoal miv line must have infallibly been parted on one of 

 the numerous rocks and roots, and then good-bye to salmon 

 for that day. This .time, however, he preferred sticking to 

 the pool, and turning at its head the line suddenly slackens 

 and with a spring of three or four feet the salmon launches 

 itself in the air. I have only time to note the play of the 

 sunlight on his silvery body when, with a downward 

 plunge, he againg starts off with a bolt that makes me 

 tremble for my gear. No fear of its failing, though. The 

 rod is a veteran, and belongs to one of the best, fishermen 

 in Nova Scotia, who lias killed his hundreds on it, and my 

 tackle is all chosen by the same kind friend tfrom the famous 

 Stores of Mrs. O'Connell, of Halifax notoriety. 



Now lie makes the circuit of the pool, and as he ap- 

 proaches my right hand is busily employed in reeling up 

 the slack line, so as to maintain an even strain. Ah ! he is 

 heading for the narrow channel by the gravel bank. "Hi ! 

 Peter, look alive there, and frighten him back." No need 

 to sing out so loudly, for Peter is on the qui vice, and the 

 apparition that, with arms distended and brandishing a 

 formidable looking gaff, stands in mid stream and bars the 

 passage is enough to cause the most courageous of the finny 

 tribe to shrink back in dread and pause ere he attempts to 

 force a path in that direction. So thinks this salmon ; but 

 confound it there he is darting straight for the spot where 

 his brethren lie, and with another spring right over them he 

 proclaims his intention to warn them if possible of his im- 

 pending fate. This will never do. I shan't get anothav 

 rise, even if I succeed in lauding my friend, if he continues 

 in this playful mood much longer ; so putting a little extra 

 strain on the rod as he again nears me I give him the but 

 handsomely, and endeavor to bring him into shoal water 

 on the slope of the gravel bank, where Peter stands ready 

 with the gaff. The rod bends almost double, and as it 

 won't stand the increasing pressure, and the fish is evidently 

 but half tired, I am reluctantly obliged to let him take line, 

 and he leads me another dance round the pool. At last I 

 wear bun out, and as he swims exhausted near the surface 

 I gradually bring him in sluore, and, giving him the but till 

 his sides show on a level with the water, Peter strikes him 

 well behind the shoulder, and the next instant lands high 

 and dry on the beach the beautiful creature that for the 

 past forty -five minutes has been affording me so much 

 excitement. He had been well hooked right behind the 

 gills, and could only have escaped by a miracle. 



Gamache meanwh ile had not been idle, having with the 

 aid of a sapling cut on the bank, a whipcord and a fly bor- 

 rowed from my hook, pulled out some three dozen trout, 

 ranging from a few ounces to upwards of one pound in 

 weight. As certain inward misgivings warn us it must he 

 near luncheon time, and as it will do no harm to give the 

 salmon hole a little rest, we light a fire on the shore, con- 

 cealed from the pool by a bend of the river, and splitting 

 half a dozen of the largest trout down the belly, after clean- 

 ing, washing and sprinkling with pepper and salt, we pro- 

 ceed to cook them in approved sportsman fashion. Split- 

 ting pieces of green willow, which grows conveniently 

 near, to within a few inches of the bottom, we place the 

 trout, first kept in a flat position by thin skewers of wood, 

 in the fisssures thus formed, and tying up the heads of the 

 sticks with a bit of string or grass, drove them in the 

 ground round the fire, which should be allowed to kindle 

 thoroughly till the embers are red hot and emit but little 

 flame. With an occasional turn of the sticks, in less than 

 ten minutes the trout are done to a nicety, and cooked in 

 this primitive manner taste better than when served up 

 with all the ingenuity and artistic devices of a chef de cwsine. 

 A hard biscuit and a draught of the deliciously cool water 

 that flows in a crystal stream at our feet, complete our 



