The Half Way House 
of the rocks, while at every cast of the line 
the gorgeous dark-skinned trout with their 
flashing jewel-spots leaped at the hook and 
either came fluttering wildly to our hand, or 
to our equal regret and pleasure freed them- 
selves in mid-air and fell flashing back into 
the water. 
It was long before we could tear ourselves 
away from the spot ; then we climbed the diffi- 
cult cliffy, and journeyed on to another deep- 
down brook near which was an open grassy 
space fit to camp in. Dan was given his oats, 
and we took the long rope that had tied the 
bag to the back of the waggon and let our tin 
pail down over the rail of the bridge to the far- 
away stream of sparkling cold water. Such 
water as comes down these brooks, sweet, cold, 
clear, full of sparkle, it seems almost living, 
and seems, too, to give life to him who drinks. 
We took a long, refreshing draught, and then 
prepared our meal of fresh-caught trout, blue- 
berries we had ourselves picked from the 
mountains, and bear's meat. We were agree- 
ably disappointed in this meat ; it was delicate 
in flavour, and when cooked until tender, for it 
was somewhat tough, was as good as any meat. 
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