^ v\ \V • '% 'J- ROBERT BARNWELL ROOSEVELT. THE GAME FISH, Northern States and British Provinces. ACCOUNT OF THE SALMON AND SEA-TROUT FISHING OF CANADA AND NEW BRUNSWICK, TOGETHER WITH SIMPLE DIRECTIONS FOR TYING ARTIFICIAL FLIES, ETC., ETC. By ROBERT BARNWELL ROOSEVELT, AUTHOK OF "SUPERIOR FISHING," "THE GAME BIRDS OF THE NORTH," "FIVE ACRES TOO MUCH," "POLYANTHUS," ETC., ETC. ILLUSTRATED. G 0PYRiGHT. °#

sory examination, were — Br. 12 ; D. 13 ; P..11 ; V. 8 ; A. 11 ; C. 19f . This fish was said to have been taken in Maine, and differed entirely from the ordinary brook and lake trout. The fin-rays of the brook trout, as scientifically given by De Kay, are — D. 13*0 ; P. 12 ; Y. 8 ; A. 10 ; C. 19$. Trout are in season from the first of February to the first of September in the Long Island streams ; from April to September in those streams of the ISTew England States that communicate with salt water ; and from May till September in the upland waters of the middle and east- ern States.* There is but one mode of taking them — namely, with the fly ; although it is said poachers and pot hunters capture them with worms, minnows, nets, and even with their own roe. These villanies are not at present punished with death nor even imprisonment * These periods do not refer to the game laws. 14 THE AMERICAN TROUT. for life ; but our legislature is looking into the matter, and there is no telling how soon such statutes may be passed. How splendid is the sport, to deftly throw the long line and small fly with the pliant single-handed rod, and with eye and nerve on the strain, to watch the loveliest darling of the wave, the spotted naiad, dart from her mossy bed, leap high into the air, carrying the strange deception in her mouth, and turning in her flight, plunge back to her crystal home, with the cruel hook driven into her lips by a skillful turn of the angler's wrist ; to meet and foil her in her fierce and cunning efforts to escape, paying out the line as she rushes away resistless, meeting her in emergencies firmly and steadily, till the tip crosses the but, when she insists upon reaching the old stump or the weedy bottom ; to slack the line when she leaps into air, trying to strike it with her tail ; and above all, to watch the right moment, and keeping her head well up, to bring the beautiful prize quickly and steadily to the net ! There may be others who have killed more and larger trout than myself, there may be others who can cast a longer line and lighter fly ; but there are none who will work more steadily or who can enjoy it more intensely. There are innumerable rules applicable to trout fishing and innumerable exceptions to each; neither man nor fish is infallible. A change of weather is always desir- able : if it has been clear, a rainy day is favorable ; if cold, a warm one ; if the w T ind has been north, a south- erly one is advantageous ; a zephyr if it has been blowing a tornado. Generally, in early spring, amid the fading THE AMERICAN TROUT. 15 snows and blasts of winter, a warm day is very desirable ; later, and in the heats of summer, a cold, windy day will insure success. Dead calm is dangerous, although many trout are taken in water as still, clear and transparent as the heavens above. The first rule is never to give up ; there is hardly a day but at some hour, if there be trout, they will rise, and steady, patient industry disci- plines the mind and invigorates the muscles. A south- erly, especially a southeasterly wind, has a singular tendency to darken the surface, and in clear, fine waters is particularly advantageous ; a southwester comes next in order ; a northeaster, in which, by the by, occasionally there is great success, is the next ; and a northwester is the w r orst and clearest of all. Give me wind on any terms, a southerly wind if I can have it ; but give me wind. It is not known what quality of the wind darkens the water, it may be a haziness produced in the atmos- phere, although with a cloudy sky the w^ater is often too transparent; it may be the peculiar character of the waves, short and broken, as contradistinguished from long and rolling ; but the fact is entitled to reliance. Slight changes will often affect the fish. On one day in June, in the writer's experience, after having no luck till eleven o'clock, the trout suddenly commenced rising, and kept on without cessation, scarcely giving time to cast, till two, when they as suddenly stopped. There was no observable change in the weather, except the advent of a slight haze, the wind remaining precisely the same. I was much disappointed, not having half fished the ground and being prevented, by the numbers that were taken, from casting over some of the largest fish that 16 THE AMERICAN TROUT. broke. As it was, I caught seventy trout in what is ordinarily considered the worst hours of the day. But in this particular, also, the same rules apply as to the warmth of the weather. In early spring it is useless to be up with the lark, even supposing such a bird exists ; no fish will break the water till the sun has warmed the air ; but in summer, the dawn should blush to find the sportsman napping. In fact, trout will not rise well unless the air is warmer than the water. They do not like to risk taking cold by exposing themselves to a sudden draught. There is a very absurd impression, that trout will not take the fly early in the season ; this is entirely unfound- ed. As soon as the ice disappears they will be found gambolling in the salt water streams, and leaping readily at the fly. At such times, on lucky days, immense numbers are taken. In March they have run up the sluiceways and are in the lower ponds, lying sullenly in the deepest water ; then is the cow-dung, politely called the dark cinnamon, the most attractive fly. In April, May and June they are scattered, and entrapped by the hackles, professor, ibis, and all the medium sized flies. In July and August they have sought the headwaters of navigation, the cool spring brooks, and hide around the weeds and water-cresses, whence the midges alone can tempt them. Any flies will catch fish, cast in any manner, if the fish are plenty and in humor to be caught. A few fea- thers torn from the nearest and least suspicious chicken, and tied on an ordinary hook with a piece of thread, will constitute a fly in the imagination of a trout, pro THE AMERICAN TROUT. 17 vided he follows, as lie sometimes appears to di), the advice of the young folks, shuts his eyes and opens his month. I cannot recommend such tackle, being con- vinced the most skillfully made is the best ; but I do advise simplicity of color. One of the best of all flies is the female cow-dung, made of a dark cinnamon color, and after the pattern used in England ; there is a green- ish abomination unj ustly foisted upon American inven- tion that is worthless. The hackles are in my opinion altogether inferior, except the black-winged hackle, which, of a bright warm day, is irresistible. The ibis and professor, dressed a V Americaine, with yellow floss body and red tail, are both excellent flies. The coach- man is the best evening fly, and will attract trout long after the angler can see to strike them, and when the sound of their plunge alone entices him to continue his efforts. The May and stone flies are good, and of late years a fly of mixed red and black, with wings, called by some, from his colors, the devil-fly, has come into vogue. The palmers are only to be despised and avoided. In sum- mer, of the midges the yellow sally, the alder fly, the little cinnamon, the black gnat, the black and red ants, and in fact all others, are attractive. The water is then covered with myriads of many-colored flies, and there is hardly any artificial but will find its representative among the real life. These are but a few of the flies that can be pur- chased in the shops, which yearly invent new varie- ies, regardless of truth to nature or the recommend- ations of experience. Many have no names whatever, *nd in others the workman has given his fancy such play X8 THE AMERICAN TROUT. that they are unrecognizable. In these pages, when the name is given of any fly described in Ronald's u Fly- Fisher's Entomology," it is intended that it shall be dressed after the directions therein contained. A more full description of the various flies, both in use and to be found in our waters, will be given hereafter with some directions for tying them ; but a great deal must be left to the practical experience of each fisherman, according to the range of waters he is in the habit of fishing. Good luck, that synonym for all the virtues, does not depend so much upon the kind of flies as the skill in casting, and a poor fly lightly cast into the right spot will do better execution than the best fly roughly cast into the wrong place. The lure must be put where the fish habit, often before their very noses, or they will not take it ; and when they lie, as they generally do in run- ning streams, in the deep holes under the banks, where the bushes are closest and cause the densest shade, it requires some skill to cast properly into the exact spot. Sacrifice everything to lightness in casting ; let the line go straight without a kink if you can, drop the fly into the right ripple if possible, but it must drop gently on the surface of the water. An ugly splash of a clear day in pure water, and the prey will dart in every direction, and the angler's hopes scatter with them. A beginner may practise a certain formula, such as lifting the line with a waive and a smart spring, swinging it backward in a half circle, and when it is directly behind him, casting straight forward ; but as soon as he has overcome the rudimentary principles, he should cast in every manner, making the tip of his rod cut full cir- THE AMERICAN TROUT. 19 cles, figure eights, and all other figures, behind him, according to the wind ; bearing in mind, however, ever to make his fly drop as gently as a feather. He should use his wrist mainly, and practise with each hand, and should never be otherwise than ashamed of a bungling cast, though he be alone, and none but the fish there to despise him. If the line falls the first time with a heart- rending splash all in a tangle, it is useless to make the next cast properly. The fish have found out the trick, and know too much to risk their necks in any such a noose. A skillful fisherman can cast almost any length of line, but practically, fifty feet, counting from the reel, is all that can be used to advantage. Some English books say only the leader (gut links) should alight in the water ; but this is nonsense, for at least one half the line must fall into the water, unless the fisherman stand on a high bank. With a long line the difficulties of striking and landing the fish are greatly increased ; in striking, there is much slack line to be taken up ; in landing, it requires some time to get the fish under control, and he is apt to reach the weeds or a stump. That most excellent fisherman and learned scholar, Dr. Bethune, in his edition of Walton, Part II., page 73, says that candid anglers must confess that nine out of ten trout hook themselves ; this may be so in streams teeming with fish, where a dozen start at once, frantically striving to be the first ; but in clear, well-fished streams, not one fish in a thousand will hook himself; and on Long Island an angler would grow grey ere he filled his basket if he did not strike, and that quickly. Striking, to my mind, is by far the most important point, and hundreds of fish 20 THE AMERICAN TROUT. have I seen escape for want of quickness. It must bo done quickly but steadily, and not with a jerk, as the latter is apt, by the double action of the rod, to bend the tip forward and loosen instead of tightening the line. There are days when fish cannot be struck, although they are rising freely ; whether they are playing or over-cau- tious, I never could determine ; whether they are not hungry or the water is too clear, they put man's capacities at defiance. Their appearance must be signalled to the eye, by that reported to the brain, which then directs the nerves to command the muscles to move the wrist ; and ere this complicated performance is completed, the fish has blown from his mouth the feathery deception and has darted back to his haunts of safety. A fish will occasionally leap up, seize the fly, discover the cheat, and shaking his head, jump several feet along the surface of the water to rid his mouth of it, and do this so quickly as not to give a quick angler time to strike. How often fish are caught when they rise the second time, as then the angler is more on the alert, whereas on the first rise he was off his guard ! How often fish rise when the angler's head is turned away from his line, or when he is busy at something else, and how rarely are they caught ! In my experience it is so great a rarity, that it might almost be said they never hook themselves. In the lan- guage of youth, the only hooking they do is to hook off. Dr. Bethune, page 97. says the rod should not exceed one pound in weight. Indeed it should not, and if it does, it exemplifies the old maxim, so far as to ha\e a fool at one end. If we could fish by steam, a rod exceeding a pound and measuring over fourteen feet might answei THE AMERICAN TROUT. 21 well, but in these benighted days, while wrists are made of bone, muscles, cartilages and the like, the lighter the better. A rod, and if perfection is absolutely indispens- able, a cedar rod of eleven or twelve feet, weighing nine or ten ounces, will catch trout. Cedar rods can only be obtained in America, and then only on compulsion, but this wood makes the most elastic rods in the world. They spring instantly to every motion of the hand, and never warp. They are delicate ; the wood is, like woman, cross- grained, but invaluable if carefully treated. The reel should be a simple click, never a multiplier, but large barrelled, and fastened to the but with a leather strap. The line, silk covered with a preparation of oil, tapered if possible at each end, and thirty to forty yards long. The basket, positive, a fish-basket ; the angler, compara- tive, a fisher-man. Thus equipped, go forth mildly approving where the writer's opinions coincide with yours, simply incredulous where they do not. Ere you begin, however, you may w T ish to know the size of the fish you can catch, a matter of no little intricacy, for though w r e all know the size of the fish we have ourselves caught, there is always some one else that has caught larger. My largest trout, at the time this is written, was taken on the Marshpee River, on Cape Cod, and weighed three pounds and fourteen ounces. But it is said there were inland brook trout exhibited at the New York Club by a mem- ber in the year 1857, the two largest of which weighed cleaned six pounds and a half each. "I have my doubts." These fish should have weighed, when first taken, nearly eight pounds, double the size of any trout, 22 THE AMERICAN TROUT. other than sea trout, I have ever seen or before that heard of. In my opinion, they were lake tront, caught, perhaps, from a small pond, and bright colored. It was claimed they were taken with the fly, which lake trout will not ordinarily touch ; but, unfortunately, it was also said, that two weighing about five pounds each were caught and landed on one cast, and that this was done twice. Now confidence in our neighbors' truth is the framework of society, but there is a limit to human credulity, and catching two five pound trout at one cast, is at the very verge of that limit. No one, except by the most incredible good fortune, could kill two such fish on any ordinary fly-tackle, with any ordi- nary fly-rod. The hooks would almost certainly tear out, and no strain could possibly be kept on the lower fish, which, by slacking up his line and then darting away, would probably go free. But great luck alone could enable a person to land two such fish ; the lower one would never drown, being at perfect liberty — by the by, trout never die in the water, they always save enough life for one final rush — and when the upper fish was landed or gaffed, the lower would go off in a jiffy. When a person claims to do this twice in a day, he must De pronounced a lucky man indeed. We caught our big trout in the Marshpee, and we will tell you how we did it, though the words make us blush as we write them. "We were young then, and it is to be hoped innocent ; and having gone to Sandwich, on Cape Cod, in search of untried fields, discovered a jolly, corpulent landlord, named Teasedale, who, with his friend, Johnny Trout, so named jocosely, wer^ the THE AMERICAN TROUT. 23 fishermen of the neighborhood. That was before the stream was preserved for the benefit of the " Poor Indian," and poorer fishermen mulcted, as at present, in five dollars a day for the privilege of fishing. We drove to the stream, almost six miles, Teasedale enlivening the early June morning with snatches of hunting songs, and when there plunged recklessly in. Oh ! but the water was cold — a dozen large springs poured in their freezing contents — and the blood fairly crept back to our hearts. The stream ran through a narrow defile, overhung with the thickly tangled vine and creepers, rendering a cast of the line impossible, and had worked its way far under the steep banks, making dark watery caverns, where the great fish could lie in wait for their prey. We removed the upper joint of our fly-rod, which was heavy and strong, and leaving the line through the last ring of the second joint, we put on a bait next to the fly in beauty and effect, the minnow. The water was freezing cold — the closely entwined boughs and leaves shut out the heav- ens above, and we were alone in the shadowy darkness with the tenants of the deep. The herring frequented the brook, and pursued by the large trout, darted in shoals between our feet. It is always a good sign when the herring are running, and we had excellent luck. There are several ways of putting on a minnow, and if a person from ignorance or necessity must poach, let him poach well. There is the gorge-hook loaded with lead, the. snell passed by the baiting needle at the mouth of the bait and out at the tail, bringing the hooks which are double at the mouth. It is highly recommended by some English books and their American imitators, but 24 THE AMERICAN TROUT, in my experience is more useful, unbaited, for catching snapping mackerel, young blue-fish, than for any other purpose. There are the gangs of hooks, consisting of two or more small hooks back to back, one of which is inserted in the side or back of the bait, with another small one further up on the line, which is inserted on the lip or nose. It answers well for some kinds of fishing, and for large bait, but does not work well with small fish. The bait is not bent sufficiently, and does not spin readily. Then there is the old-fashioned large single hook, thrust through the mouth, clown the fleshy part of the back and out at the side, or out at the gills and back through the mouth into the side. The objection is that bait is apt to work down on the bend of the hook, or the trout is apt to take off the tail of the bait without being hooked. The other, and I think the best plan of baiting with dead bait, is the same as the last, with the addition of a small hook to thrust through the nose, that tends to retain the fish in its place, and allow the hook to be car- ried down further toward the tail, and still make the bait spin well. Minnow is never properly baited, unless it spins freely with every motion of the rod, and it must ever be kept moving. Of course the line must be armed with the swivel-trace, and in baiting with dead minnow a Limerick hook should be used, when using worms or grasshoppers a hook of finer wire is better. The dead minnow is preferable for rapid water. In nonds the minnow should be alive, in which case the hook is to be inserted in front of the dorsal fin, and the THE AMERICAN TROUT. 25 point may be left under the skin, or exposed, as the poacher pleases ; I prefer it covered. It should not penetrate the flesh. In the Marshpee I was using a single hook, keeping the bait well ahead of me, and creeping cautiously in the freezing water, watching the tiny float as it danced its merry course along, now borne swiftly over the rip- pling current, anon caught in an eddy and returning on its track, and then again resting motionless in some dark and quiet pool. It was scarcely visible beneath the dense shadows, and once in a while it would disappear from my straining sight ; then followed a sharp blow with my rod, a fierce tog, a short fight between fear, despair and cun- ning on the one side, and strength, energy and judgment on the other. The prey once hooked, and skill there was not ; it was a mere contention of two brute forces, in which the weaker went to the basket. An exhibition of skill or tenderness would have resulted in an entangle- ment round the nearest root, and the loss of fish, leader and hook. Still, there was excitement ; the situation was romantic, the narrow gorge, the deep and rapid stream, the closely matted trees and vines, the ever- changing surface of the current, which adds beauty to the tamest brook, all combined to lend enchantment to the scene. The fish were large and vigorous, fresh run from the sea, where they had, the Winter long, been a terror to the small fry, and early death to juicy and unsuspicious shell-fish. They fought fiercely for life and liberty, their homes and their household gods, and, alas ! too often successfully. The risk of their escape added to the interest of the occasion, and 2 26 THE AMERICAN TROUT. the number of herring darting past gave continual promise of the presence of their arch enemy, the trout. I had half-filled my basket, and had met with wonder- ful escapes and terrible heart-rending losses, mingled with exhilarating successes. I had made about half the distance, as well as we judged, and felt proud and happy as no king upon his throne ever did or will. My rod, though a fly-rod, was whipped every few inches with silk, and thus strengthened had stood the unequal conflict admirably. Still hoping for better things — who will not hope for the impossible ? — I strode on. Below me the current made a sudden turn at a bend in the stream, and eddied swiftly under the overhanging bank. The brook almost disappeared in what was evidently a vast cavern deep in the bowels of that bank. In such watery palaces, amid the worn rocks, the tangled roots, the undulating moss and weeds, fierce -eyed, monstrous trout delight to dwell. In such fortresses they await unwary travellers, and dark deeds are clone in the congenial darkness — ■ outrage, riots and murder stalk boldly about. The migratory herring, harmless and unsuspicious, peers in and starts affrighted back, then peers again, at last ventures forward, and then, compelled by instinct to ascend, tries to dart hastily by ; there is a sudden rush, a frantic struggle, a piteous look entreating mercy of pitiless hearts ; for an instant the water is dyed with blood and then flows on, washing all trace of the deed away. I approach the den carefully, the feather-like float dancing merrily far ahead over the rippling tide, and aa the line is paid out, swaying from side to side, close in THE AMERICAN TROUT. 27 front of the roots that fringe the bank, still not a sign ; a step forward — the water carries it under the bank out of sight. I stand still, expectant ; nothing yet ; I creep cautiously to the very bank, and thrust my rod in the water, aye, under the bank its full length. What's that ! Ah ! what a tug ! I have him, the monster, the Giant Despair of the wayfaring herring. How he pulls! I must have him out of his retreat ; it is a great risk but my only chance. I strain my rod, my line, almost my arms, to the utmost ; he comes, disdainful of surreptitious advantages, relying on his great strength ; he has not taken protection of weed or stump. Now, my boy, do your utmost; yes, leap from the water, dart down with the current ; I must give to you a little ; no line can stand that strain ; but you will never reach your lair again. Turn about, head up stream, that is what 1 want ; there is a sandy bank above us, can I but reach it and land you there. Ah ! you perceive the danger or have changed your mind ; how you fly down stream with the slackened line hissing through the water behind you. Well, go, you will soon turn again. Already, beautiful, you have passed the bank ; now, rod, be true ; line, do your duty. The pliant ash bends, the upper joint has passed below the but in a wide hoop. He comes, his head is up ; if I can but keep it out of water ! he dashes the foaming waves with his strong tail ; one more effort ; bend rod, but do not break ; he is out of water ; I have him. He is dancing on the yellow sand his last dance in mortal form ; his changing hues glancing in the mild light, his fierce mouth gasping, his bright sides befouled with sand and dust, his glittering scales 28 THE AMERICAN TROUT. torn off by the sharp stones. His efforts grow fainter ; the flashing eye dims, a few convulsive throes and he is quiet ; the grim hand of death has pressed upon him. He is indeed the prince of monsters, the paragon of giants ; so thick, so deep, with so small a head for so large a body ; such brilliant hues : the fins so red, the blue and carmine spots so numerous and delicate. I wash him off and stand gazing at him in my hand regardless of further sport. I have captured the king, and care not to follow his subalterns. I lay him gently in my basket ; he will not lie at full length. I cover him with moss, filling the little room left, and forcing my way through the overhanging bushes, and, reaching the broad light of day, proudly await the arrival of my companion. Then the moss is carefully removed, and the beauties of my darling are unveiled, and flash and gleam in the sunlight. There are several ways of landing a trout, but not all equally sportsmanlike. Large trout may be gaffed, small ones landed in a net, and where neither of these means is at hand, they must be dragged out of water, or flirted up among the bushes, according to the taste of the angler and the strength of his tackle. A tyro was once fishing on the same boat with me, using bait, when he struck his first trout. One can imagine how entirely misspent had been his previous existence, when it is said he had never taken a trout, no, nor any other fish before. It was not a large fish ; such luck rarely falls to the share of the beginner, and in spite of what elderly gentlemen may say to the con- trary, an ignorant countryman, with his sapling rod THE AMERICAN TROUT. 29 and coarse tackle, never takes the largest fish nor the greatest in quantity. Were it otherwise, sportsmen had better turn louts, and tackle makers take to cutting straight saplings in the woods. My companion, never- theless, was not a little surprised at the vigorous rushes the trout made to escape, but his line being strong and rod stiff, he steadily reeled him in. Great was the excitement ; his whole mind was devoted to shortening the line, regardless of what was to be done next. We had a darkey named Joe with us to row the boat and land the fish, and our luck having been bad during the morning, he was delighted at this turn of affairs, and ready, net in hand, to do his duty. The fish was being reeled up, till but a few feet of the line remained below the top, when, with a shout of " land, Joe, land him,' , my companion suddenly lifted up his rod, carrying the trout far above our heads. There it dangled, swaying to and fro, bouncing and jumping, while the agonized fisherman besought the darkey to land him, and the latter, reaching up as far as he could with the net, his eyes starting out of his head with wonder at this novel mode of proceeding, came far short of his object. Never was seen such a sight ; the hopeless despair of my friend, the eagerness of the darkey, who fairly strove to climb the rod as the fish danced about far out of reach. What was to done ? The line would not render, the rod was so long we could not reach the tip in the boat ; and the only horrible alternative appeared to be my friend's losing his first fish. The latter, however, by this remark- able course of treatment, had grown peaceable, and when he was dropped back into the water, made but 30 THE AMERICAN TROUT. feeble efforts, while my companion, as quietly as he could, worked out his line till he could land him like a Christian. Great were the rejoicings when the prize earned with so much anxiety was secured. That is the way not to land a trout. One afternoon of a very boisterous day, I struck a large fish at the deep hole in the centre of Fhillipse's Pond, on Long Island. He came out fiercely, and taking my fly as he went down, darted at once for the bottom, which is absolutely covered with long, thick weeds. The moment he found he was struck, he took refuge among them, and tangled himself up so effectually that I could not feel him, and supposed he had escaped. By carefully exert- ing sufficient force, however, the weeds were loosened from the bottom, and the electric thrill of his renewed motion was again perceptible. He was allowed to draw the line through the weeds and play below them, as by so doing they would give a little, while if confined in them he would have a leverage against them, and could, with one vigorous twist, tear out the hook. When he was somew T hat exhausted, the question as to the better mode of landing him arose. The wind was blowing so hard as to raise quite a sea, which washed the weeds before it in spite of any strain that could be exerted by the rod, and drifted the boat as well, rendering the latter almost unmanageable, while the fish was still so vigorous as to threaten at every moment to escape. I besought the boatman, who was an old hand and thoroughly up to his business, to drop the boat down to the weeds and let me try and land my fish with one hand while holding the rod with the other. He knew the dangers of such a THE AMERICAN TROUT. 32 course, and insisted upon rowing slowly and carefully for shore at a shallow place sheltered from the wind ; although I greatly feared the hook would tear out or the rod snap under the strain of towing both weeds and fish ; once near shore, he deliberately forced an oar intc the mud and made the boat fast to it, and then taking up the net, watched for a favorable chance. He waited for some time, carefully putting the weeds aside, until a gleaming line of silver glanced for a moment beneath the water, when darting the net down, he as suddenly brought it up, revealing within its folds the glorious colors of a splendid trout. That was the way to land a trout under difficulties, although I still think I could have done it successfully by myself. Generally, the utmost delicacy should be shown in killing a fish, but there are times when force must be exerted. If the fish is making for a stump, or even weeds, he must be stopped at any reasonable risk of the rod's breaking or the fly's tearing out. A stump is the most dangerous ; one turn round that, and he is off, leav- ing your flies fast probably in a most inconvenient place and many feet below the surface of the water. Bui remember the oft-repeated maxim of a friend of the writer's, who has been with him many a joyous fishing day, that " One trout hooked is worth a dozen not hooked." Small trout are more apt to escape than largo ones, because the skin round the mouth of the latter is tougher. With either, however, there is risk enough , the hook is small, and often takes but a slight hold ; the gut is delicate, and frequently half worn through by continual casting. 32 THE AMERICAN TROUT. Fish are, in a majority of instances, hooked in the corner of the upper jaw, where there is but a thin skin to hold them ; by long-continued struggle, the hole wears larger, and finally, to the agony of the fisherman, the hook slips out. There are occasions when force must be exerted, and then good tackle and a well-made rod will repay the cost. At dusk one night I cautiously approached the edge of a newly-made pond that was as full of stumps as of fish, both being about the extreme limit, and casting into the clear water, struck a fine fish of three-quarters of a pound. Not one minute's grace did he receive, but I lugged and he fought, and after a general turmoil I suc- ceeded in bringing him to land, in spite of weeds and stumps and twigs, which he did his best to reach. The same was clone with seven fish after a loss of only three flies, and with a rod that weighed but eight ounces. A rod is not so apt to break from a fair strain as from a short twist ; of course, if you strike i large fish as yon raise to cast, or catch in the bushes behind yon when your line is extended, any rod may break. This, how- ever, rarely happens, and you are as likely to break the tip by trying to pull the line through the rings with your hand, or by lifting a small trout out of water and swinging it in past you, as in any other way. In drawing a fish to shore when you have no landing net, step back and bring the strain evenly on your rod, and it will rarely give way. If you find the fish takes down the current and you are unable to hold him, follow him if you can, and if not, point your rod toward him and bring the strain on the line. The hook may tear out, or the gnt may break, THE AMERICAN TROUT. 35 or even the line may be lost, but you will save your rod, while otherwise you would probably lose both. In landing a fish, wait till he is pretty well exhausted, bring his mouth above water and keep it there till he is drawn into the net, and warn your assistant to remove the net at once if he gets his head down. By diving after him with the net, the assistant would certainly not catch the fish and might tangle one of your other flies. The fish should be led into the net, and the latter kept as still as possible ; he knows as well as you do what it is for, and if his attention is drawn to it, will dart oft* as madly as ever. There are occasions and situations where a fly cannot be used, and a minnow — called clown East, from the Indian name mummy chog, a mummy — cannot be obtained. In such cases it becomes necessary to fall back upon first principles. A grasshopper, twitched along the surface of the water in a way called skittering, is an effective bait, although an imitation grasshopper, as well as an imita- tion minnow, does not answer and will not deceive trout. Salmon and trout roe are used, and it is said, contrary to the writer's experience, with great success. Gentles, which are grubs hatched in meat that has been fly- blown, are a favorite bait in Europe ; but, in spite of their beautiful name, are horrible objects and not in vogue with us. Caddies, or the larvae of the Phry- ganidce in their cases, are also in use there, but not here. We must, therefore, have recourse to the angle- worm. The finest worms are to be found in tanyards ; they should be placed on the top of damp moss, left for a 2* 34; THE AMERICAN TROUT. night or two to work themselves clean, and then placed io other moss sprinkled with milk. They become strong, light colored and lively, and should be threaded on a fine hook by passing the point in at the head of the worm and out half-way down the side ; then in, half up the side of another, and forced nearly to the head. Worms, if cast as in fly-fishing, are very attractive, and will fre- quently kill an immense number offish. There is much skill in casting so as not to tear off the bait, and yet to cover an extent of water In rapid streams, whether with bait or fly, always fish down stream ; there is less noise, the line is kept taught, the fly looks more natural, and unless the wind is strong against you, it will be much easier and pleasanter fish- ing. Move the bait continually ; keep it in motion under all circumstances ; this is the great secret of bait- fishing. I have also heard of shrimp preserved in whisky being used, and think they might answer for fish that have just run from the salt water ; but as frequent experiment with the live shrimp has proved their inferi- ority to minnow, I have little faith in them. The trout is admitted to be the most beautiful of all our fish ; not so large nor powerful as the salmon, he is much more numerous, abounding in all the brooks and rivulets of our northern States. He lives at our very doors ; in the stream that meanders across yon meadow, where the haymakers are now busy with their scythes, we have taken him in our early days ; down yonder in that wood, there is a brook filled with bright, lively little fellows ; and away over there we know of pools where there are THE AMERICAN TROUT 35 splendid ones. Who has not said or thought such words as he stood in the bright summer's day under the grate- ful shade of the piazza running round the old country house where he played, a boy ? He does not make the nerves thrill and tingle like the salmon, he does not leap so madly into the air nor make such fierce, resolute rushes, he has not the silver sides nor the great strength ; but he is beautiful as the sunset sky, brave as bravery itself, and is our own home dar- ling. How he flashes upon the sight as he grasps the spurious insect, and turns down with a quick little slap of the tail ! How he darts hither and thither when he finds he is hooked ! How persistently he struggles till enveloped in the net ! And then with what heart-rend- ing sighs he breathes away his life ! There is no fish like him. Lay your prize on a bed of moss, which is his natural resting-place ; look at the exquisite hues like shotten silk, the dark spots, the carmine specks, the single first white ray in his fins, and the rich red of the second extending to the lower edge of the abdomen ; the greenish-mottled back, the silver below — what a picture for the painter, if his brush could catch the evanescent tints. How proudly and fondly we gaze on our beautiful prize, not with the mere rude, brutal pride in securing so much booty, such a sum in money value, or a delightful dish for the table, but with an affecta- tion that is hard to explain to those who are not anglers. The sportsman is more fond of the game he pursues and more anxious to preserve it from destruction than the most pretentious humanitarian of animal worshippers. The angler is proverbially the most gentle of men, he is fond of nature, peaceable, contemplative, patient; he 36 THE RUNNING TROUT. admires the grandeur of the woods, the rugged strength of the rocks, and the changing splendor of the sky. He listens with pleasure to the murmur of the brook, the songs of the birds, and the rustle of the wind. The man who kills to kill, who is not satisfied with reasonable sport, who slays unfairly or out of season, who adds one wanton pang, that man receives the con- tempt of all good sportsmen and deserves the felon's doom. Of such there are but few. We seek this, our favorite fish, in early Spring, when the ice has just melted, and the cold winds remind one forcibly of bleak December, and when we find him in the salt water streams, especially of Long Island and Cape Cod ; but we love most to follow him in the early Summer, along the merry streams of old Orange, or the mountain brooks of Sullivan County. Where the air is full of gladness, and the trees are heavy with foliage — where the birds are singing upon every bough, and the grass is redolent of violets and early flowers. There we wade the cold brooks, the leafy branches bowing us a welcome as we pass — the water rippling over the hidden rocks, and telling us, in its wayward way, of the fine fish it carries in its bosom. With creel upon our shoulder and rod in hand, we reck not of the hours, and only when the sinking sun warns of the approaching darkness, do we seek, with sharpened appetite, the hospitable country inn, and the comfortable supper that our prey will fur- nish forth. The brooks of Long Island, especially on the south- ern shore, abound with trout. But they are few in com- parison with the hordes that once swarmed in the THE AMERICAN TROUT. 37 streams of Sullivan and Orange counties, and in fact all the lower tier of counties in this State, before the Erie Railroad was built, and opened the land to the crowd of market men. I am proud to say I have travelled that country when it took the stage coach twelve hours to go twenty -four miles, and when, if we were in a hurry, we walked, and sent our baggage by the coach. Now you are jerked along high above our favorite meadows, directly through our wildest hills, and often under our best streams, at the rate of forty miles an hour, and yet people call that an improvement. As well might you lug a man out of bed at night, drag him a dozen times round his room, and fling him back into bed, and say he was improved by the operation. ~No one wants to be lugged out of bed, precisely as no one wanted to travel beyond Sullivan County ; the best shooting and fishing in the world was to be found there. When the railroad was first opened, the country was literally overrun, and Bashe's Kill, Pine Kill, the Sand- berg, the Mon Gaup and Callicoon, and even Beaver Kill, which we thought were inexhaustible, were fished out. For many years trout had almost ceased from out of the waters, but the horrible public, having their attention drawn to the Adirondacks, gave it a little rest, and now the fishing is good. If you go there, stop at George Durrance's, in "Wurts- borough, and if he boasts of fishing, as he will,* ask him whether he remembers going to the Sandberg one day, many years ago, to show a Yorker how to catch trout. It was a bright sunshiny clay, and as we drove up to the edge of the bank, above a clear, rapid, sparkling stream, I * If he is alive at this writing. 38 THE AMERICAN TROUT. saw a large trout leap heavily out of water, where the cur- rent swept with a swirl past a high rock. As I rigged up my flies, George borrowed my knife to cut a pole,^as he did *iot have much faith in " them things," and while he was gone, I crept cautiously up behind the rock, and cast over the further projecting point. I could not see my flies alight, but heard a splash, and striking felt I had a splendid fish. He fought bravely, but by keeping him in the upper part of the pool, the lower end by the rock, was not disturbed. After some trouble, I landed him, having no net. Then approaching the rock with the same caution, the performance was repeated, only this time my rod was broken in endeavoring to land the fish, and it was necessary to find George and obtain my knife. I discovered him under the bushes on the bank, in a miserable state — it was oppressively hot — his rod was a long sapling, and naturally heavy — the sky and water were clear, and the fish would not touch the worm, which we could see from where he sat. He had only taken two miserable little fish. He did no better all day, and while I rose and killed fish after fish, he did not take another one. When afternoon came, and he impatiently urged me away, my basket was so full it broke down, and he had his two fish. On reaching his house, the boys spread our respective takes out on a board, and to George's deep chagrin exhibited them to the entire village. He has not taught a " Yorker" how to catch trout since. So much for your countryman, with his bed-cord for line and stick for pole, and yet George was admitted to THE AMERICAN TROUT. 39 be the best fisherman in that neighborhood. A person residing near a stream, and having fished it from infancy, and acquainted with its every pool, has an immense advantage over a stranger ; but there was only one coun- tryman ever beat me trout-fishing, and he, after taking me to the stream, slipped off and waded it down ahead of me. All the streams that, taking their rise in or near this State, flow into the Delaware or Susquehanna, are filled with trout; the Tobyhanna, the Bushkill, Broadhead's Creek and a thousand others, that the Erie and Lacka- wanna railroads now make easy of access. While Hamil- ton County, Essex, the region of the Adirondacks, Clinton County with its Chateaugay and Chazy Lakes, and the Saranac River, and Eranklin County with its innumera- ble ponds, offer all the sport that the heart of man can desire. All the streams of ISTew England, especially in the neighborhood of the White Mountains, are filled with small trout ; while the State of Maine, in Moose- head Lake, the Kennebec, and its other fine rivers and lakes, affords the finest brook trout-fishing in the world. The angler may, therefore, seek his darling close to his own summer-house, or may drop in at any of the many well kept taverns on the south side of Long Island, where he will find every comfort and most of the luxuries of the day, will meet other enthusiastic fishermen, who will relate varied and interesting expe- riences, and exchange views and fancies with him, and will prove themselves, if real fishermen, the most obliging and unselfish gentlemen in the world ; or he may seek the lonely hotel at Lake Pleasant or Moose- 40 THE AMERICAN TROUT. head Lake, where he will still find comfort in a rougher way, and wonderful good sport ; or he may boldly strike out into the trackless woods, commit himself to his birch canoe and trusty guide, and then, if he be made of the right stuff, I promise him such happiness as he will never forget — merry innocent days and dreamless nights, health in every limb, and contentment in his mind.* There is no fish more difficult to catch, nor that gives the true angler more genuine sport than the trout. His capture requires the nicest tackle, the greatest skill, the most complete self-command, the highest qualities of mind and body. The arm must be strong that wields the rod ; the eye true that sees the rise ; the wrist quick that strikes at the instant; the judgment good, that selects the best spot, the most suitable fly, and knows just how to kill the fish. A fine temper is required to bear up against the loss of a noble fish, and patient perseverance to conquer ill luck. Hence it is that the fisherman is so proud of his basket of a dozen half-pound trout, he feels that any one more awkward or less resolute could not have done so well. He feels conscious that he does not owe his success to mere luck, but has deserved the glory. He feels that he has elevated himself by the very effort. Do not sup- pose I mean that there is no skill in other fishing; there is in all, even in catching a minnow for bait, but aost of all in trout-fishing. * Since that was written, many of these waters have heen depleted, and Long Island has been so thoroughly preserved that there is hardly a free pond or stream from one end to the other of it. SEA TROUT. 41 CHAPTER III. SEA TROUT. Salmo Trutta Marina — Salmon Trout — White Trout. This fish corresponds precisely with the description given by Dr. De Kay of the Speckled Trout, Salmo Fon- tinalis, except in the following particulars : I can find no teeth in the vomer or central part of the roof of the mouth any more than I can find them on the common brook trout, and I have examined great numbers of the latter for the purpose. The pectorals are nearly a transparent white, slightly tinged with red at the origin of the rays, except that the second ray is darkish. The first ray of the ventrals is yellow, the second dark, the third and the others orange fading into white ; the origin of the ventrals is directly under that of the first dorsal. The first ray of the anal fin is orange, the second and others dark green, growing lighter toward the tail, the origin of the second and third rays being yellowish. The scales are very small, imbedded in the skin, and there are neither scales nor defined spots on the gill- covers. The fin-rays are as follows : Br. 12 ; D. 13 ; P. 13 ; V. 8 ; A. 10 ; C. 19^. The branchial rays seem to differ sometimes, the same* fish having eleven on one side and twelve on the othei, and the highest one is a half ray or small plate. The 42 SEA TROUT. anal, properly speaking, has eleven rays, but the first ia so delicate and so lost in the fleshy part of the fin, that it is hardly distinguishable. The coloring of these fish differs greatly from that of the common trout, but it is universally conceded that color is no test or distinction of species. "When fresh run from the sea, and when still inhabiting the salt water, they are gloriously brilliant ; their backs a liquid bluish green, the under part flashing like molten silver. The spots and scarlet specks on their sparkling sides are of a purer tone, and the lower fins more slender and delicate. They are found in the bays of Prince Edward's Island, in the harbors of New Brunswick, and in all the gulf and river of St. Lawrence and its lower tributaries. In Frank Forrester's "Fish and Fishing," a letter from Mr. Perley, the British Commissioner of Fisheries, is quoted, page 123, in which he says these fish do not ascend into purely fresh water. In this I am reluctantly, out of respect to his great experience as a fisherman and high standing in scientific attainments, compelled to differ from him. I have unquestionably taken these fish far above tide water, and have the best authority for saying that usually, if not invariably, the larger trout at least ascend to the head-waters of the mountain streams to spawn. I venture to say that no large sea trout are taken in the tide water after the last, and rarely after the first of August. It is probable that he has been misled by the- fact that there are trout in the same streams that never descend to the sea, and there is a marked difference in color between them and theij SEA TROUT. 43 biethren, although I believe they are the same fish. For the correctness of these views, reference can be made to the experience of many authorities that would be satis- factory to one that I esteem and respect as much as I do my excellent friend and brother of the angle, Mr. Perley. While mentioning his name, it will not be amiss to tender him, in the name of the fishermen of the United States, our thanks and grateful acknowledgments for the invariable kindness, courtesy and good humor with which he has answered the numerous questions entailed upon him by his mention in Frank Forrester's u Fish and Fishing," and the valuable aid and advice he has furnished the wanderers from the States in their search for piscatorial happiness. Combining as he does the heartiness of an Englishman with the sociability of our own country, we are proud to claim him, while he remains in our vicinity, as half an American. But let me, at the same time, suggest to my countrymen, that there is a limit even to the best of tempers, and that, although each one may only put a few questions and take up a little valuable time, the total combined may be annoying, inconvenient, and even excessively burdensome.* In addition to the positive fact of taking sea trout above tide water, it is to be remarked as a habit of all trout to ascend in summer to the cool sources of the springy brooks, and our common trout will invariably be found, after the warm weather is at its height, either in the rivulets that feed the ponds where they dwell in winter, or at the head- waters of the ponds. The sun's rays are so powerful that they affect any sheet of open * Since then passed away. Peace and happiness be with him. 44: SEA TROUT. vater, especially the harbors and bays of the ocean, and the fish will not live there, but withdraw to cooler regions. A remarkable case of this kind fell under the writer's observation at Masapequa Pond, which is uni- versally admitted to be the best preserve on Long Island. It is rather small, and quite shallow except in the chan- nel, and being entirely unsheltered, is liable to become heated in hot weather. The spring had been remark- ably mild, and in the middle of May, after a number of days that reminded one of June, I visited Masapequa, and, although the weather was favorable and a lively ripple darkened the water, only two trout were killed in the entire morning. I was much discouraged and surprised, until happening to get my flies caught, I put my hand into the water and found it milk-warm. The explanation was simple, and I at once told the proprietor, who had been more astounded than myself, that the fish had run out of the pond into the brook ; and there, sure enough, we shortly discovered them lying in the deep pools in shoals. If they cannot retire to cool, fresh, aerated water, they will perish, as happened one dry, warm season in a pond at Oyster Bay, which, although well filled with trout, had no extensive head-waters. The fish crowded round the flume, hardly disturbed by being touched with a stick, remaining motionless, and evidently suffering. They died and were picked up by scores. If sea trout do not ascend the fresh streams, where do they spawn ? From the habits of all the salmon tribe, we know they must have a current of pure and cool water to vivify the eggs, and they certainly cannot find SEA TROUT. 45 this along the shores and Days. Their eggs must De deposited on a gravelly bed and not on sand, and as the bottom of the salt water, which is purely sand, even if appropriate spawning ground, is peopled with all sorts, shapes and sizes of creeping, crawling and burrowing things, from sand-worms to sea-eggs, the spawn would be utterly destroyed long before it could come to ma- turity. If, in spite of all these difficulties, the eggs should hatch, the young fry being entirely helpless for thirty days, and little able to take care of themselves afterward, would be annihilated by their elder brethren or the first sea fish that came along. Young trout, in their appropriate localities, hide carefully in little spring rills and close along shore for months after they are hatched, and not till well grown and active do they trust themselves in the deeper places among the larger fish. Nature has taught them that the latter have an excessive fondness for them. Whether sea trout spawn earlier than brook trout, 1 do not know, but very possibly they may, as in cooler countries fish usually spawn earlier than in warmer ones. However, in August the roe is not developed to any great extent ; no more so, apparently, than with us, and, although the Canadian Winter sets in earlier than ours, trout do not fear the cold. The regions they inhabit being extremely difficult of access in the freezing season, this question may remain some time unsolved. Whether sea trout should be ranked as a distinct species, or whether there are any different species of trout in America, has been a serious question. It is a great misfortune that every naturalist, in his eager 40 SEA TROUT. endeavor to discover new species and originate new names, lias caught at the slightest distinctions in appear- ance, which are often only due to food or water, and has immediately dubbed the fish a knight and endowed him with a new name — frequently some horrible Latin per- version of his own. Real distinctions are those perma- nent ones that no change of food and water can affect, nor the chance influence of a few shell-fish or a muddy bottom. There are distinctions between these trout and brook trout, of color, comparative size of different parts of the body, formation of the head and fins ; but not more so than one often meets with in fishing any of the streams of Long Island that communicate w T ith the sea, or even in the different streams of the w T ild woods. The sea trout of Canada certainly do far excel the ordinary trout in size, being taken, with the fly, weighing nine pounds, and the ordinary average being from three to four; but otherwise they seem to have no permanent peculiarity that should distinguish them from the com- mon brook trout. All other distinctions fade after the trout have been for some time in fresh water, and a late run of sea trout differs far more from those which have ascended the streams a month earlier than the latter from the brook trout. Indeed, some sea trout have become domesticated in the fresh water, and never returning to the sea, have settled down, although often f great size, into the ordinary trout. In Stump Pond, on Long Island, and the adjacent waters, are four different varieties of trout: the old- fashioned Stump Pond Trout, *w T itha black mouth, a long, thin body, a big head, and a wolfish, hungry * The old Stump Pond trout has of late years wholly disappeared. SEA TROUT. 47 look; the Salt Water Trout, with a small, sleepy head, a deep body, and a rich coloring, small fins and red flesh ; the Brook Trout, long, narrow, brightly marked, gracefully shaped and lively; and a trout which has appeared in a new pond, scarcely yet completed, with a dark, strong coloring, very black on the back, a thick, stout body, and a well proportioned head. Any one can distinguish these fish at a glance, but must they each have a different name, and a Latin one at that? The fresh run sea trout of the North have beautiful silver sides, almost as bright as a salmon's, and in this particular, at least, differ from the salt water loving- trout of Long Island and Cape Cod. Their heads are small, delicate, and exquisitely shaped, and their lower fins are small and almost transparent. The heads of the males are larger, and the lower jaw more hooked than those of the female, and these differences increase as the spawning season advances. The head of the female bears a comparison to that of a modest, refined lady, while that of the male resembles the big head and ugly jaw of the struggling, quarrelling, but protecting man. A.t times their flesh is a bright red, often a dull yellow and rarely whitish. The shape of their bodies is grace- ful and broad across the back, to a greater degree in both particulars than the sea run trout of Long Island and Massachusetts. But as they ascend the rivers, and after they have been some time in their new abode, these peculiarities diminish, the color of their backs turns from a beautiful green to a dull black, the splendor of their silvery sides fades, and the heavy spots and roseate tinge appear ; their translucent fins grow opaque and strong 4:8 SEA TROUT. from greater use in the swift current ; their shape even seems to alter, and they are altogether unlovely by com- parison with their former selves. Are they, therefore, " like Cerberus, three gentlemen at once," and entitled to three distinct appellations, or are they simply our dearly loved old friends, the Speckled Trout t The change in appearance of these fish cannot be ex- plained by the suggestion that the ordinary brook trout ascend the rivers and mingle with those of the sea, be- cause the latter are to be caught in every stage, from the brilliancy of the fresh river fish to the dull colors of the oldest inhabitant. And it will be noticed that at the heads of the rivers a bright-colored fish is rarely met with, although they must be, with few exceptions, all sea trout. The best trout rivers of Canada are troublesome to reach, difficult to ascend, and seldom attempted by any but the salmon fisher. To the latter, the trout, attractive as he seems to us, is a trial and a nuisance. Abundant and vora- cious, he often rushes in advance of the lordly salmon, seizes the fly, and then discovering his mistake, by his struggles disturbs the pool, ruffles the fisherman's temper, and frightens the larger game from its equanimity. He is therefore little noticed by the frequenters of the head- waters, except to be denounced, and his delicate peculi- arities seldom considered and less esteemed. He is princi- pally sought in the tide water along the shores, or from boats in the open bays, but rarely followed to his summer home. The statements, therefore, of Canadian fishermen with regard to him must be cautiously received and care- fully weighed ; their experience may not have been snf- ciently extended. SEA TROUT. 49 Whatever be his name, he is a beauty, the fairest of the children of the sea. There are others of more varie- gated colors, of gaudier hues, of more slender shape, but the trout is lord of all. He is the pet of the true fisher- man, whether taken by the name of Kalmo trutta in the bays of Canada, weighing over ten pounds, or as Salmo fontinaMs, in the mountain streams of Vermont, reach- ing not one quarter as many ounces. In Canada, sportsmen — and none others seem to fish — take the sea trout solely with the fly. In June, and earlier, they are found in the tide waters, and there prefer gaudy flies. The scarlet ibis, or curry-curry of South America, dressed as it is ordinarily done, or diversified by a little gold or silver tinsel wound round the body, or indeed the entire hook wound with tinsel alone, is by many preferred to all other flies ; but the red hackle, the golden pheasant, the professor, the grey drake, and in fact any gay fly, will meet with approval. A much admired fly is made of a red body and yellow wings ; but the more sober colors must not be forgotten nor neglected, they are often more successful than their gaudy relations. As the season advances, and the fish ascend the clear, cool rivers, especially if the water be low and the weather dry, the sober flies are preferable. Then the cow-dung, the alder-fly, the turkey-brown, the winged black hackle, and in fact all the ordinary flies, are in demand ; a fly invented by myself, of a blackbird's wing and a claret body and legs, and called the early fly, has often proved itself uncommonly killing ; and indeed all the flies usu- ally employed in other waters are appropriate for the sea trout in Canada. 50 SEA TROUT. Neither does the size of hook differ from that ordi narily in use ; it should average about a number nine, with a few somewhat larger for rougb water. It is rarely desirable, on account of the enormous size of the fish, to use more than one fly at a time, and generally the trout will soon remove the difficulty by reducing them to that number ; but at times, when fish are shy, they seem to be attracted by seeing several. In order to kill the largest possible quantity, without any regard to humanity or sportsmanship, a heavy fly-rod is desirable, as much time is lost in landing them with a delicate rod. For many hundred miles below Quebec, the majestic St. Lawrence rolls its transparent waters in a steady surge toward the ocean. Forward and backward heaves the mighty tide, piling up the waters eighteen and twenty feet ; but the steady current keeps on its course toward the gulf. Into this wonderful stream, that can only be likened to an arm of the sea, at every few miles debouches from the granite hills a river, more or less extensive and more or less rocky and turbulent. These rivers rise on the mountain tops, cold and clear, and thunder down over falls and rapids, through chasms and gorges split in the eternal rock, till they leap, tumble or crawl into that outlet of a thousand lakes, the highway of the Canadas. These streams the salmon and trout ascend, there to disport themselves, there to make love, prepare their nests, and perpetuate their species. The water is cool, running from the frigid regions of the north or supplied by icy springs, and the bottom offers every variety of SEA TROUT. 51 spawning beds. There is the stony pool for the salmon, the pebbly one for the trout, and never do the two spawn, and rarely even live, in the same. The pool where the salmon lie is deep and rapid, with a bottom composed of dark limestones averaging about the size of a bantam's egg. While the trout hide in a sluggish pool, and often one worn away by the water and hollowed from a clay bank. It is a tradition, but one by no means well substantiated, that trout never eat young salmon, nor salmon young trout. As trout are more fond of their own species than almost any other delicacy, it is not probable they would be fastidious about swallowing a nice, juicy little salmon. The country through which these streams run is very peculiar : rough hills of granite rise almost perpendicu- larly from the edge of the water, many hundred and sometimes many thousand feet. Their sides are bare and bleak, and if adorned at all with verdure, it is with a stunted pine and spruce, that only half hides the white rock beneath. The streams wind in tortuous course among the crags, and slowly gain a liigh elevation. These bare, unprofitable hills extend back from the north shore of the St. Lawrence as far as the foot of man has penetrated, and only at long intervals by the shore of some of the larger rivers, where forty centuries of storms have worn away and washed the detritus from the moun- tain into some little bay, have half civilized beings been enabled to build rough cabins and glean a scanty sub- sistence. Thus are these waters, the home and nursery of the trout and salmon, protected forever by nature against the pervading destructiveness of man. Judicious 52 SEA TROUT. kiws have been passed and will be enforced by the Cana- dian government, and the American fisherman may find in neighboring waters what he will never again see in his own, these noble fish dwelling in abundance, and protected from worthless, wanton and unreasonable destruction. It is a burning shame, a foul blot on the character of Americans, and tarnish on their reputation lor far-sighted economy, that their only idea of the treatment of the wild game of the woods and waters seems to be total annihilation. " After me a desert," is their motto ; and they never rest till, by planting snares and liming streams, they have caught the last partridge and poi- soned the last fish. Thus have they already destroyed one of the most valuable resources of the country ; the Hudson, the Connecticut, the Penobscot, and even the Kennebec, yield no more salmon, and we yearly pay to Canada enormous sums for what we once had, and might still have, in plenty on our own shores. HSTot many years ago a person buying shad on the Connecticut River was required to take such a proportion of salmon. Now that the head-waters are covered with tanneries and saw-mills, and are crossed by dams without the simple expedient of a flume that the fish could ascend, and now that early salmon are worth a dollar a pound in New York market, where are the former denizens of the Con- necticut ? All the timber cut on the streams would not pay for the damage done to the fisheries. In Canada the people have discovered, fortunately for them not too late, the importance of stringent protective laws. The nets can SEA TROUT. 53 only be set within a certain distance, and cannot extend across the entire stream. In Lower Canada the net fish- ing terminates on the first day of August, and the rod fishing on the fifteenth of September, and spearing, the most cruel, unprofitable and injurious mode of destruc- tion, is forbidden altogether. About one hundred and twenty miles below Quebec the wondrous Saguenay pours its dark waters and fierce current into the placid bosom of the St. Lawrence. It is one of the natural wonders of our still new and scarcely explored country. Hills rise a thousand feet sheer up, and its waters descend a thousand feet deep at their base. The St. Lawrence, at its mouth, is only some thirty feet deep, but the bottom suddenly descends at the entrance to the Saguenay, and becomes from five hundred to a thousand feet in depth. The breadth of the Saguenay is so great that the grandeur of the mountains is lost to the eye, and the scenery is remarkable more for ruggedness than beauty. At the mouth of this river was the first station of the Hudson Bay Company, a little village called Tadousac, which is pronounced with the emphasis on the last syllable, and in that village stands the mission church of the Jesuits, the oldest in the country Close to Tadousac, and almost adjoining at the back, is a still smaller village called L'Anse a 1'Eau, and although great ships no longer lie at Tadousac, and the houses are fast falling to decay, and the good men of the olden days have long gone their last journey, and the trap- pers are never more seen around the famous station, and the glory of the Hudson Bay Company has departed, 54 SEA TROUT. the trout and salmon coast along the rocks and visit the inlets as they did when priests promenaded the natural terraces of Tadousac, and when the shortest road to the Northwest was up the Saguenay River. The trout care not though the iron horse has sprung two great leaps across the water that they live in, and know not that a woman, the only Catholic that can read, officiates as higli priest in the sanctum of the woman-haters, the mission church of the Jesuits. The St. Lawrence abounds with most delicious food for trout ; there are acres of small fish ; the sand eels crowd the bays yards deep, the sardines, the mullet, the capelin, the tommy cods, push and jostle their way along, .while shellfish innumerable cover the sandy bot- tom. Flies swarm on the water, and the deep rivers in Winter and the cool streams in Summer constitute the paradise of the salmonidce. Along the shores of the tide water, early in Spring the trout and salmon make their appearance, and wandering about pass the merry days of May, June and July in feasting and junketing, in visiting new scenes and tast- ing every variety of food, till instinct warns them the waters are falling, and they must hasten to their syl- van bowers and enjoy the pleasures of love and paternity. Then slowly, the largest first, they leave the tide waters and swarm up all the practicable streams, running the rapids and steadily advancing to their pebbly spawning beds, which kind nature appears to have prepared in the heart of these impassable mountains for their especial protection. Through all this season, June, July and Au- gust, the fishing is magnificent ; they are in great SEA TROUT. 55 numbers, and of immense size ; but after they have once left the salt water, the angler must accompany them in their ascent if he would continue his sport, and by clay struggle in his canoe against the rapids, up which he hears them darting at night. While the fish are still in tide water, and the fisher- man is fishing from the rocks, the head of some bay into which flows a stream of fresh water, and the time of the lower half of the tide, are both desirable. The former as furnishing a variety of food, and the latter as contracting the fishing ground. The eddies of a swift current, and the hollows of a rocky bottom are both affected by the fish ; although they are often found along a smooth sandy shore, chasing the minnows, and now and then dashing at a fly or sand-hopper thrown off the land. It is nothing unusual to capture a hun- dred fish in as few hours as it will require to land them, and often the only limit to the number will be the sportsman's humanity. They are a difficult fish to pre- serve ; it seems sacrilegious to salt them ; they are not good pickled in brine, and smoking is both injurious and troublesome. The fisherman, if he would not have them rot before his eyes, must put a bridle on his eager- ness. They run very large, sometimes above a dozen pounds, are often taken of Hve and six, and frequently a whole day's catch will average three pounds. They are found at the mouth and along the shore of every river that empties into the lower part of the St. Lawrence. They ascend the Saguenay, and are taken at and near its mouth in great numbers, and in fact everywhere in the 56 SEA TROUT. lower St. Lawrence and all its tributaries they abound, It would be more difficult to tell where not to find them than where to find them. But the best trout-fishing sea son is later, when they have followed the salmon and retired to the upper waters of the mountain streams, where they lie together in shoals, in the deep pools. Then they may be traced by the wake their motion leaves in the water ; then may the fisherman, casting a long line and careful fly, pick the finest and go on fish- ing till heart and soul are satisfied. There, amid the wild scenery, at the foot of the granite hills, by the shade of the stunted spruce, he may take his stand upon some point of rocks, near to a black pool, and deftly wielding the slender rod, may bring to the net one after another of the mighty denizens of the water. But even then, if he would take the mightiest he must prove him- self a sportsman by keeping out of sight and casting far and straight. And when his sport is terminated by the declining day, or his ample satisfaction, and he meets his companions round the camp-fire, over a well cooked supper improved by a vigorous appetite, he will exchange experiences of the habits of fish or the arcana of the angler's art. If, however, he loves the " wet sheet and the flowing sea," a nautical anomaly, by the way, he may pursue his prey in the open bays, and with a smart breeze and long line, and gaudy fly dancing from wave to wave, have great sport. Under these circumstances the fish are almost uncontrollable and must be often followed with the boat for a long way before they can be killed. It is gloriously exciting, the bright waters sparkling with SEA TROUT. 57 foam, the light boat leaping over the billows, the sky magnificent in its depth of blue, the fresh breeze cool and strong ; and the fish just hooked, furious, vigorous and courageous, rushing hither and thither, plunging to the bottom or springing high out of water. Then the exciting chase as he takes off fortunately down wind, and exhausts all but the few last turns of line on the reel till it becomes a question of speed between him and the boat, and at last his final surrender and capture. Truly is it magnificent. Riviere du Loup, a little Canadian village situated on the St. Lawrence, opposite the mouth of the Sague- nay, is now connected with Quebec by railroad, and is only a day and a half distant from New York. It affords good accommodations, but there is no place any- where on the Saguenay or at its mouth where the trav- eller can stop. * The Habitans although generally will- ing to offer such accommodation as they possess, are too dirty in their habits, and often too much beloved of creeping things to suit American taste. So that as there is little or no trout fishing at Riviere du Loup, the angler must make his arrangements for a camp-life, and would do well to descend the St. Lawrence in a pilot boat, which he can hire with a man and boy for two dollars a day, and stop at the mouths of all the streams that debouche into it. The river is over twenty miles wide, and he must look out for storms, as these boats are open and by no means good sea boats. At night he can go ashore, build a fire, put up his tent, and call into requisition the numerous luxuries this mode of travelling will enable him to carry. * A fine hotel has been built at Tadousac. 58 SEA TROUT. A steamboat ascends the Saguenay twice a week, and he can either take it at Quebec or join it at Riviere du Loup, and by this means enjoy a trip through the bold scenery of that celebrated river, and can either return to Riviere du Loup, or take a pilot boat at L'Anse a l'Eau. There is a generous-hearted Englishman living at L'Anse a l'Eau, but he has been compelled to refuse admission to all strangers, as any infraction of that rule would have led to his being overrun. Many of the streams of Lower Canada are leased to private individuals, and there are few good accessible salmon streams open to the public, but the sea trout fish- ing along the St. Lawrence and at the mouths of most of the streams is free to all. In Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and at Prince Edward's Island, there is as yet no restriction, and both salmon and trout are the property of him who can catch them.* Nowhere, how- ever, can any salmon fishing or good trout fishing be had except by camping out. Canadian canoemen can be obtained, if not required to furnish canoes, for sixty cents a day, although the Indians, who are far superior, command over a dollar, and where the angler is unac- quainted with the water he is to fish, he had better take the latter. They are, however, willful and exacting, and sometimes stubborn and troublesome, while the former are the best-natured fellows in the world, full of fun, song and frolic, but often too fond of the liquor case. The best river of Lower Canada is the Mingan, but if it is not already leased it soon will be. It can be reached by steamer that leaves Quebec semi-weekly, stopping at * License is now required for Ashing in the British Provinces anywhere. SEA TROUT. 59 G-aspi, at Batliurst on the Bay de Chaleurs, which is near Nipisiquit, the best river of New Brunswick, at several places along the route, and finally at Shediac, whence there is a communication with St. John or Halifax. The steamer running at the time this is written is the Arabian, and leaves Quebec every alternate Monday. The Nipisiquit is within a few miles of Batliurst, where there is good accommodation, and boatmen can be obtained without difficulty, or the fisherman may con- tinue his travels to Dalhonsie, at the mouth of the Resti- gouche, and try either that or the Matapediac. Another mode of reaching the fishing grounds, is to go to St. John, and thence by steamboat to Fredericton, and cross over by land to the Miramichi, at Boiestown, where there is excellent trout and fair salmon fishing. A list of the distances from Quebec, together with further instructions, is given under the head of salmon fishing, as the rivers we have mentioned are properly salmon rivers. The sea trout fishing is so fine, that many persons prefer it to taking the larger salmon, and can be indulged in almost anywhere along the shores of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward's Island, Newfoundland and Lower Canada ; and were it not for the heavy fogs, the Bay of St. Lawrence would be a favorite resort of our adventurous yachtsmen. The Galway line of ocean steamers now touches at Newfoundland, whose waters abound with the finest fish. The sea trout ascend to the head-waters of the Mira- michi quite early, so that there are none of large size to be caught in the lower section by the middle of 60 SEA TROUT. July. In that river they average from two to five pounds' weight. But the Tabasintac, a stream half-way between Chatham and Batlmrst, is the most famou? sea trout river of New Brunswick. I do not know of any sea trout along the southern shore of New Bruns- wick. The scientific designation of this fish is not yet settled, although the United States Fish Commission have given it their attention, and it is to be dreaded that, numerous as he still is, the sea-trout will have disappeared before we know what to call him. Canada and the Provinces have been immensely devel- oped since much of the above was written; travel is easier, pleasanter, quicker, and accommodations better. But with this improvement have come fishing restrictions, license fees, and government interference, which more than counterbalance the advantages. A. TRIP TO THE LA VAL. (ft CHAPTEK IV. A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. A beautiful breeze was blowing down between the grand old hills of the majestic Saguenay on that first day of August when Walton* and myself started from L ? Anse a l'Eau in one of the oddly-shaped pilot-boats of the St. Lawrence, for a visit to the Bon Homme la Yal. The Bon Homme la Yal, a beautiful and roman- tic stream that falls into the St. Lawrence about sixty miles below the Saguenay, tradition asserts was named by the pious Canadians in the early days of the country after a beloved father confessor. But time and the English, equally utilitarian, have contracted it into sim- ply La Yal, and the origin of the name, together with the piety that suggested it, is almost forgotten by the present generation. The sun was shining brilliantly, and the strong northwest wind curled the waves of the ancient river, and crested them with foam ; the dark waters surged in their falling tide; the stunted trees shivered in the blast; while the granite hills were as immovable as they had been mid storm and calm for many thousand years ; but the pretty little village was all astir with our departure. It is a fanciful place, with the white houses perched in a nook between the whiter rocks, while the * Hon. Wm. F. Whitcher, late Superintendent of Fisheries of the Dominion, p.nd as skillful an angler as ever handled rod or wet a line. 62 A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. graceful roofs and white- washed walls shining in the sunlight, produces a picturesque effect. The few English families residing there, and their many friends on visit to them, made an agreeable society, drawn closer together by its seclusion from the world at large ; and bright eyes looked brighter when there were none others by. The world of L'Anse a l'Eau was collected on the wharf to witness our departure — the Canadians because they had no better employment, the English that they might bid us adieu. Our pilot-boat, called by the Cana- dians chaloupe, an open boat some five-and-twenty feet long by seven wide, was crammed full of our numerous traps, plunder or baggage, as it would be variously styled in different parts of our land of freedom. The fishing rods, and one gun, devoted to the destruction of bears for lack of smaller game, were carefully stowed ; small barrels, at present filled with meat, but destined to return filled with fish, lay side by side with baskets full of more delicate provender ; tents, bedding and innumer- able other articles occupied every inch of room. We were experienced in woodsman life, and had no idea of suffering the want of luxuries that could be easily car- ried with us, and would never trouble us on our return, unless they did it in spite of our teeth. There were preserved soups, meats and fruits, sauces of many kinds, tea and coffee, the latter ground and in bottles of essence ; there were brown, white and maple sugars, concentrated milk, flour, indian and oatmeal, barley, rice and potatoes ; liquors of many kinds, and other things too numerous to mention. For our protection from the weather, we had two tents and waterproof cloth sufii- A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. 63 cient for a make-shift, two indian-rubber blankets apiece^ one coated on the side the other in the middle, water- proof suits, plenty of blankets, flannels, and warm clothes ; and such other things as a gentleman ordinarily carries on a journey. As a defence against the mosqui- toes, black flies, sand flies, and other like torments of Satan's invention, there were veils, the oil of tar, and a mixture of glycerine, turpentine and spearmint. Above our treasures were carefully stowed our two canoes, bottom upmost. In a heavy sea they cannot be towed, as they are apt to fill and tear to pieces. Few persons know how beautiful and delicate a canoe is. It is manufactured only by the Indian ; in that the white man has never equalled him. The best is made from a piece of white birch bark, stripped from the tree in springtime, damped, and after being cut away to the requisite extent, molded into the proper shape. The inside is covered with gum, and a thinner piece of bark fitted upon it, so that though the outer bark be torn, it still does not leak. Over this are passed thin strips of red cedar, lengthwise of the canoe, and crossing them at every inch are ribs of the same wood. The gunwale is formed of a stout stick of hickory or ash, laced to the sides, and four strong but slender thwarts bind the whole firmly together, and serve for seats or supports. Inferior articles are made of but one thickness and of poorer bark. The shape differs according as they are manufac- tured by the Mountaineers or Micmacs, the two tribes of this region, the former building a long, narrow and graceful boat, easily capsized even for a canoe, and well suited for travel in smooth water ; while the latter build 64 A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. a broader and flatter boat, drawing little water and bet ter suited for shoals and rapids. They are mostly manufactured on the south side of the St. Lawrence, birch-trees of the requisite size having almost disappeared from the north shore. The bark is composed of innu- merable layers, and is the only known substance that would stand the rough contact with rocks that canoes experience. A volume could be written on the wondrous qualities of birch bark, the woodsman's invaluable trea- sure ; to him it is a boat, a tent, a table, a plate, a cup, a basket, a pail, a basin, a frying-pan, a tea-kettle, a candle, a flambeau, a cooking oven, writing paper, kindling wood, and almost all the other conveniences or necessa- ries of life. The chaloupe being loaded, a long farewell shouted loudly that our spirits might not fail, and we turned our backs on L'Anse a l'Eau, the pretty bay at the water- side. The jib was set, and the grande voile, or foresail, together with the tapecu, or jigger, while the mainsail, called by the Canadians mizzin — for we were a three- masted schooner — was brailed up, not only to give us more room, but because the open boat was then under all the sail she could stagger to. The French are a won- derful people; strange and incomprehensible are the sailing vessels they have produced ; but in Canada, aided by the antiquated notions of the English, they surpass themselves and manage to combine in their pilot-boats all the defects of which either system is capable. "While the rest of the world has discovered that the more sails a small boat carries the slower she will go, they have care- fully cut up what should have been one sail into four: A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. 65 and whereas a pilot-boat is mainly wanted in rough weather, and should be capable of living in any sea, they have built them open, and any heavy wave breaking aboard would swamp them in an instant. But of all wonderful productions of the human mind the jigger excels; a mast is stepped alongside the stern-post, with a little spritsail hoisted on it ; a sta- tionary boom, or out-rigged, is fastened in the stern and projects aft into the water ; in the end of this boom an augur hole is bored, through which is rove the sheet to the jigger, and the sail trimmed down or eased off. By this ingenious arrangement all possible disadvantages are combined without one conceivable advantage. How- ever, not to condemn unreasonably, there are conve- niences in this singular rig. The bowsprit can be taken out and used to shove off from rocks or a lee shore, and as these vessels are never known to go to windward, that is important ; the sprit of the jigger can be used to boom out the mainsail when going wing and wing ; any passenger, finding a sail incommodes him, can reach up and wrap it round the mast, out of his way ; and in fact, if he were to pull it down and put it in his pocket, no one would miss it ; and finally, a Kentuckian might find the mainmast useful, with a little whittling, as a tooth- pick. It is also rather perplexing that the Canadians should call the foresail the grande voile, which is the proper name for the mainsail, and then call the mainsail the mizzin, in pronouncing which they endeavor to cheat the last syllable of its vowel ; whereas, the jigger, if any, is entitled to be called the mizzen. Instead of having a cabin, like Christians, they have amidships, for it is a 66 A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. keel boat, what they call a hoite ; and sure enough it ia a box, as long as the width of the boat, some seven feet, about two and a half feet deep at the lowest part, and rounding to the shape of the bottom, and three and a half feet wide. Into that they crawl, and two men and a boy have been known to sleep comfortably. Such was the vessel that was destined to bear uS sixty miles down the broad St. Lawrence, and was soon tear- ing along under the fierce wind that crested every wave with foam. Fortunately, our course lay along the wea- ther shore, for our open cockle-shell would not have lived a minute exposed to the full sweep of the blast and the sea it must have raised on the other side of the river, or even a few miles from shore. Once in a while, a little dash of spray would come hissing on board, or fling itself into our faces ; but as the wind was free, we could carry on sail as long as she could keep above the waves, or until she carried the masts out of her. Even that ungainly vessel, driving on in the seething waters, car- rying the canoes on her deck, and with her sails straining in the blast, must have been more than picturesque. On we tore, skirting the dreary, inhospitable coast past the village of Tadousac, past the Moulinbaud, the Esco- main, a river once famous for its salmon, but no longer so ; past the Patte de Lievre, a rock of the shape of the hare's foot, where many years ago the sea gave up its dead, and a cross now stands to mark the grave of the lost nameless one ; and the last puffs of the wearied blast urged us quietly into the outlet of Sault de Cochon. At the mouth of this river there is a steep fall, down which once a hog hastily descended much against her A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. 67 will; in her death covering herself with immortality giving her name to the torrent that destroyed her. Hastily launching one of the canoes, and rigging up our rods, my companion and myself, eager for the fray, com- menced tempting the innocent inhabitants of the deep with delusive baits. Evidently Mr. Red Hackle was not one of their intimate acquaintances, and they took to him amazingly. The god of day was already declining behind the western hills, and casting long shadows over the now placid water, but the fish leaped at the fly in innumerable numbers, giving us such sport as we at least never enjoyed before. At almost every cast a trout, varying in size from a quarter of a pound to two pounds and a half, plunging out of water, seized the fly fear- lessly in his mouth, while often two or three were on the line at once. Large or small, they were most vigorous, making fierce struggles and mad rushes to escape, their silver sides glancing through the water, and their tails lashing it into a foam. No dull, heavy, logy fish were they, but active and lively, and excellent was the sport they gave ; so that when our men, having improvised a kitchen on the rocks, called to us that supper was ready, we were loath to leave our sport. It was then eight o'clock ; we had been fishing about three hours, and over one hundred and twenty fish, averaging about half a pound, were the net reward of our skill. The scene, as we took our supper upon the end of an old tumble-down dock, was peculiar. The light of the fires, making the surrounding darkness the deeper, served alone to illumine with lurid brightness the faces and fan- tastic dresses of our men, while the roar of the cataract 68 A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. shut out all other sounds. The chaloupe lay below us, its outline just defined upon the dark water, while we, seated upon a log, drank our tea and feasted right roy- ally upon fresh trout and other comforts that civilization had provided us. Truly incomprehensible are the Habitans of Canada. One of the few inhabitants being without any eatable thing in the house, having scraped the flour barrel till he had scraped off splinters of wood, and, except for our arrival, without the prospect of a meal for the morrow, had soothed his sorrows by inviting his neighbors to a ball. Of course there was no supper ; but the music of one fiddle, and the merry spirits of the Canadian girls made up for the deficiency, and when we joined them, after our tea, they all seemed as happy as though stomachs never grew hungry or limbs tired. Being politely offered the belles, we joined the festivities, our potables adding to the merriment of the party, till, with the prospect of a hard day's work on the morrow, we thought best to retire to the dressing-room and camp upon the floor for the night. Although the bed was hard, and our rest somewhat disturbed by visions of beautiful creatures arranging their hair and dresses by the light of a tallow candle, before the looking-glass in our room, and at last donning their hats for a final departure, we slept toler- ably, and the early dawn saw us on our feet, preparing for our departure. While the men were carrying out our directions, in anticipation of a long absence from civilization, the attractions of the finny tribe were too seductive, and we, yielding to their enticements, again cast our lines in plea- a TRIP TO THE LA VAL. 09 sant places, and again, in about three hours, captured over eighty of the speckled silver-sides. The largest weighed two pounds and a half, and was the best fish taken, thus far. The barrels were arranged, the salt was purchased and stowed, the canoes made fast, the sails set, and, blessed by a still more favorable southwest wind, we got under way for La Yal. Its mouth was only about one mile distant, but we intended to ascend it as far as possible with the chaloupe, on the rising tide, and were thankful for the favoring wind. At its outlet lies an island of the same name with the river, behind which stretches a broad, rocky, shallow bay. We escaped by grazing several rocks, and entered a sluggish, canal-like, dirty river, as unlike the La Yal of a few miles above as any- thing can be conceived, and ploughed our way through crowding shoals of sardines, that rose so thick as to tempt us to try to catch them with a scaj) net. But where the rocks began to be visible as the water became clearer, we drew the chaloupe to the shore, and anchor- ing her stem and stern, loaded our canoes for the ascent of the river. We took with us the essentials of our camp life, intending to send back for the superfluities after we had established a permanent camp ; the river being too low, our canoes would not carry a heavy load. Armed with iron-shod poles to shove up the rapids, and paddles for the deeper pools, our Canadians took their places and we commenced our ascent. My com- panion was an expert canoeman, but for myself it was my first real lesson in the unsteady little shells, and 6eated upon the bottom I awaited every moment a 70 a TRIP TO THE LA VAL. sudden bath. Here the water was comparatively smooth, and little was I prepared for the falls and rapids that were ere long to steady my nerves for anything, and prove what a canoe can do when it is well handled. While our head guide, with the musical taste that is inherent in the French nature, rang forth — " Aimez-moi Nicolas," the paddles were being plied vigorously, and we shot into the narrow cleft that forms the bed of the La Yal. Straight up from the water's edge sprung the hills on each side, their grey rocks scarcely half covered with stunted spruce, pine and hemlock, and rarely leaving margin enough for underwood to grow upon the bank. The water, now limpid as crystal, poured down in an ever increasing current, and here and there boiled over a hidden rock. On we forced our way, a bald eagle the only contestant for our sole occupancy of the river, past the grey cliffs, the sombre trees, through dark pools, up rapid currents, by banks of clay greyer than the granite hills themselves. On, on, with steady exer- tions, at every moment ascending toward the source of the wild stream. The water became shoaler, the cur- rents stronger, and the rapids more rocky as we ad- vanced. Poling up the rapids was strange indeed. Imagine a torrent pouring, hissing and boiling down over rocks, where the foam glistened and the spray danced into the air, sweeping through narrow channels and leaping up and curling over in crested waves ; imagine a light, fra- A TRIP TO THE LA VAL 71 gile boat, that a man could lift with one hand, forced against such a current, between or even over the rocks, swayed about, swept hither and thither, and once in a while caught broadside on, and, unless quickly righted, carried to instant destruction. Imagine the excited efforts, the quick directions of the steersman, or forward boatman, whose care it is to head the canoe straight, to choose at a glance the deepest channel, and to keep her clear as possible from the rocks. " Arrete ! avance ! pousse I d droite ! a gauche /" with a thousand others, come streaming forth as she touches, swings round, or tries to take her own head. At times she stops entirely, and by main force alone is she pushed over ; the rock being distinctly felt as it bends the thin bark, that by its elasticity gives to the pressure and springs to its place the next instant. The men stand erect, exerting all their strength, and handle their poles like a Paddy his shille- lah, first on one side, then on the other, then in front and then behind, the iron taking a firm hold of the slip- pery rocks. Such was our ascent, and deeply interesting it proved to me, although at first it seemed inevitable that the foaming water most ingulf us all, and, destroy- ing our provisions, leave us, if we escaped at all, ship- wrecked mariners upon a desolate coast. I was glad, therefore, at every opportunity to quit the canoe, and clambering as fast as I could over the slip- pery rocks, post myself ahead upon the point of some batture or ledge of rocks, and cast the fly till the canoe came toiling painfully along. Great was my success, beautiful the dark pools, ever varying the limpid water. The treacherous banks of clay, so slippery that it was 72 A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. scarce possible to stand on them ; the dark pines casting a gloomy shadow upon the water, the sombre depths where the current had worn away a cavern for the naiads of the watery realm, made together a picture never to be forgotten. While the innumerable trout were enough to gladden the heart of any true sportsman. The day was passed and yet our journey not half done; we halted for the night as "The shades of eve came slowly down," and Walton joined me with his rod while the tent was being pitched and the fire lighted. Glorious was our sport; many a brave fish rose and sunk, and rose to sink no more ; either in that region the parent trout had not learned the infant song that in civilized localities they are accustomed to teach their children, or else the mothers did not know the latter were out ; for certainly they were not aware of the con- cealment of the cruel hook under the seeming insect. They showed no fear and we no pity, till the call of "supper" found us with over a hundred fish, averaging a pound and a half. In conscious innocence and happiness we retired ; the fire was bright, the night was warm, the woods were still, the sand was soft, but oh ! the sand flies. They came down upon us more innumerable than the locusts in Egypt, and if Pharaoh had only been tormented with them, he would have given up in one night. I tossed and turned and rolled about, hid my head under the blanket, and covered it up with my handkerchief. All to no use ; they would still find some means of entrance, the little, invisible things ; and they bit till my face seemed on fire. Their bite does not itch like a mosqui- A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. 75 to's, but burns, and I never again shall despise a thing because it is small. Compelled to surrender all hope of sleep, I gathered the dying embers of the fire, and add- ing fuel, drove away the pests, while, at the same time, with infinite relish, I scorched our men, who, to my pre- vious disgust, had been sleeping during my sufferings as though they were in paradise. By the earliest dawn I had waded into the river and made the discovery that fish, unlike the proverbial birds, will not take the fly too early. Just before the sunlight tinged the mountain-tops, they, thinking to provide their own breakfasts, provided me with mine, so that, when the time came to leave off, I had taken twenty fish weighing over forty pounds. Immediately after the meal was over, We continued our ascent as rapidly as possible, dreading another expe- rience such as we had endured the previous night, and hurried on to reach our regular camping-ground and pitch a proper tent. On the way, I only had time to catch fifteen, weighing thirty-seven pounds, the largest being of three pounds and a half, and late in the after- noon hailed with pleasure the information that at last we had reached the spot that was to be to us for some time our home. It was a beautiful location ; the stream, by a sudden bend, forming a low, long point of land, nearly level, which had been, by previous camping par- ties, entirely denuded of underbrush and partly of trees. In front, midway in the river, was a large flat rock, beyond which, extending to the further shore, and just fairly within casting distance, lay a deep, black pool. A dead tree leaned over this rock from our side of the 4 74 a TRIP TO THE LA VAL. river, forming a perilous swinging bridge by which one could reach it dry-shod. Directly across a cool spring brook entered the La Yal at a place where the shore was a mass of overhanging underbrush. A pathway had been cut through the woods by some previous salmon fishers to the pools above and below ; and with the poles, benches, boards and other insignificant but useful articles left by our predecessors, our camping-ground combined every requisite with many luxuries. At five o'clock the tent w T as pitched, onr necessary part of the arrange- ments, the head-work done, and "Walton and myself com- menced fishing. We stood side by side upon the rock already mentioned, and before dark had taken fifty-three trout, weighing one hundred and twenty pounds. They were most vigorous fish, and many a time did their con- tinued runs almost exhaust our lines. "We had fished at Sault de Cochon with three flies ; on ascending the river had diminished them to two, and now the fish themselves coolly reduced them to one. Almost invariably, if we struck two fish at a time, no matter what pains we took, one broke away with the hook. After a short time, we did not pretend to use more than one, and then had to take great pains in removing it from the mouth to avoid its being destroyed, so tough were the lips and strong the teeth of these noble fish. Indeed, it was soon effectually proved that any fly with the hackle wound from the shoulder to the bend was worthless, the first fish biting away the hackle, which should have been only wound close to the head. Heretofore the destruction of my fly had been a minor consideration, but now I found that I must look to myself, or, although provided with over A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. 75 thirty dozen, there might be clanger of my falling short. As it was, the fish destroyed in the course of my trip at least ten dozen. A delicious night's rest was the reward of our efforts at arranging a proper camp, and in fact, henceforth there was no trouble from flies, mosquitoes, or any insect, except to a slight degree daring the day-time ; an annoy- ance that a segar would effectually dispel. From a quarter before seven to a quarter past eight next morning I alone took twelve fish averaging over two pounds, and during the day, while ascending the river for a short distance to investigate what now became to us a serious question, the depth of water, Walton and myself together caught twelve, and in the afternoon twenty-eight more. In the course of this day we established a rule to throw back all fish weighing under two pounds, a rule we adhered to till our last day in the river. The water proved to be very low, and although at night we occasionally heard the rush of a large fish up the rapids, the salmon had passed above and were probably on their spawning grounds, whither it now began to be very doubtful whether we could follow them. It was late in the sea- son, as we knew, for salmon, although we had come pre- pared for them, and wished to catch at least a few. We had picked up at Sault de Cochon, as a super- numerary, a boy of about eighteen, who was one of the most remarkable beings the sun ever shone upon. He would sit for hours with his mouth open and his hands before him, and, unless told, would hardly have sense to eat enough to keep himself from starvation. After dark, our men, with a hook and line and the entrails of a trout 76 A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. for bait, caught some eels, and he, emulous of theii sue cess, took the line after they had finished, and concluded he would try his luck. Although he had been watching their proceedings for an hour with the deepest interest, he had no idea what they used for bait, and was forced to inquire. They, with peals of laughter, suggested alternately " a cup of tea, a bit of biscuit, a little ale, a lump of sugar," and such other anomalous baits. Although he at last succeeded in ascertaining from them what they used, it was not to be supposed that he would catch anything ; in fact, it is highly probable he fell asleep over his rod and slept till morning. The next day we prepared for a portage of five miles to the Lake la Val, a pond of some two miles in length by one in breadth, formed by the rivers spreading out and filling a valley in the hills. Walton donned a heavy basket, Joe, our chief canoeman, took the canoe, while Francois, the lazy boy, carried a bundle of bedding. We crossed the river, and striking directly into the woods, followed an Indian trail that had probably been there before this continent was discovered by Columbus. The mode of carrying the canoe was truly original ; it was reversed and mounted on Joe's shoulders, and his head being entirely concealed, he steadied it by holding to one of the cross pieces, and, at a distance, looked like some strange animal with a huge trunk, supported by two little legs. It was surprising how he managed it through the trees and among the underbrush, and even ascended places where we were compelled to give our legs the aid of our hands, not, however, without strenu- ous exertion, and the perspiration streamed from him A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. 77 when, after accomplishing about a mile, he leaned it upon a fallen log and slipped from beneath. Then the warning my friend had so often given me never to -wet the bottom of the canoe, because it augmented its weight bo terribly, came forcibly to mind. Fortunately Francois waked up, and having volunteered to carry the canoe over the next stretch, and it being ascertained, to every one's astonishment, that he knew how, proved himself for the first time of any value, and shortened our jour- ney considerably. During the portage we saw our first game, a spruce grouse so tame that no efforts we made could induce him to fly. He escaped death, primarily because we had no gun, and secondarily because it was out of season. At last, after a trying journey for our men, we passed a deserted lumbermen's shanty, and found ourselves upon the sandy shore of the lovely Lake la Yal. This beautiful sheet of water, lying amid high sterile hills far from the abodes of man, has remained, and will continue for centuries, unvisited except by the native Indian or the adventurous sportsman. Romantic in its location and appearance, it is remarkable for the num- ber and apparently irreconcilable character of the fish that inhabit its waters. While the voracious northern pickerel and giant mascallonge inhabit the upper part, and the fierce, greedy and powerful salmon have appro- priated the outlet, shad or mullet and lake trout, both comparatively inoffensive, dwell in the centre, and doubtless prove an easy prey and grateful food to their natural enemies on cither hand. Along the upper mar- gin, weeds grow, and the bottom is in places soft and 78 a TRIP TO THE LA VAL. muddy, while the residue of the shore and bottom is firm white sand. The lake looked, in its broad expanse with the sun dancing on its rippled surface, lovely to us whose eyes had for a time been confined to a narrow gorge or the blue sky above. Hastily launching the canoe, we descended the outlet, where the water poured over huge bowlders covered with a long, weedy grass, the seeds of which had been washed from the lake. Walton was standing in the bow of the canoe, and shouted with delight, and waved his paddle enthusiastically in air as salmon after salmon flashed up through the water, and shot by, rapid as light. The sight made our nerves tingle, but it was useless to try for them ; the water was too clear, and they were dark and long run from the sea. At one point he frantically shouted to stop, and hastily explained that he had seen five salmon and numerous large trout in one deep hole. In vain, however, did we cast our flies, they had been frightened, and probably rushed down the stream, for we could not stir a fin. Descending a short distance fur- ther, we halted for dinner, after which, taking advantage of a resting spell, I waded back to the same spot. The pool lay close beside a little island covered with alders, and by crawling cautiously I kept out of sight, and reaching the head of the island, cast carefully and lightly round it into the pool. The line went out straight the full length, the fly fell like a snow-flake on the water, there was an angry rush, a mighty splash, a quick taughtening of the line, and an enormous fish was fastened to my frail tackle. In his astonishment lie fortunately darted up stream, and by skillful manage- A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. 79 ment was led round into the other channel, where, after many a struggle and desperate effort to escape, baffled only by prudence and care exerted through a long but exciting half hour, I landed him by walking into the water waist deep, and slipping the net under him. As for leading him to shore, my rod, already bent double would not bear the strain. He was a dark-backed, yellow-sided river fish, and weighed four pounds and a quarter. He was our champion prize, and remained so to the end. The water not having been disturbed, I made another cast, and was rewarded by another fish that weighed four pounds. A brace of beauties, fit to set before a king. The second one, however, so fought and flounced, and kicked and slapped about in the pool, in spite of all my persuasive efforts to induce him to leave it, that the rest grew suspicious, and refused the most seductive baits. My friend looked the least little bit envious when I rejoined him, and mentioned his having previously taken a sea trout at the Mingan that weighed nine pounds. I smiled, of course respectfully. We returned to the lake, having taken in all fifteen fish averaging three pounds, and leaving the canoe on the beach, wended our way through the w r oods back to our sylvan home, where Pierre received us with a redoubtable supper. Insatiable, however, I that evening took eight, and next morning three, from our preserve, as we called the pool in front of the tent. As we intended to return to the lake, and might per- haps spear a pickerel, Joe made an egog, which appears to be the Indian name for fish-spear, the Canadians having not only adopted the word, but coined from it a 80 A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. French verb, egogger, to spear. Armed with it, and provided with make-shift tenting materials, we has- tened to the lake, and launching our canoe, tried its virtues upon the pickerel. The latter, however, were so scarce, that we rigged up the more effectual spinning tackle, and took a pickerel and a mascallonge of about twelve pounds each, and struck another of the latter very large, weighing, as well as could be guessed, from his passing close to the boat, about forty pounds. That night, provided with flambeaux, we went out for the purpose of again trying to spear pickerel ; but, passing by the outlet of the pond, were so attracted by the numerous salmon, we could get no further. It was a romantic sight; the canoe, lit up by the blazing flambeau, that was fastened, high above our heads, to a pole fixed in the bow, and by its glare made the surrounding darkness the more impenetrable ; the silence of the night was unbroken, except by the dip of the paddle; and calmness of the water unruffled, through which the bewildered salmon lazily floated, following us about, coming so close that we could touch them with our hands, and occasionally jumping frantically into the air, utterly out of their wits and at the mercy of any poacher. Walton was excited, myself enthusiastic, but Joe was frantic; " Egoggez done! egoggez done!" lie shouted, wildly pushing at the fish with his paddle, and almost ready to jump out of the boat. My friend held the spear in hand — he was a splendid spearsman, and could have filled the boat with salmon ; but it was ille- gal as well as dishonorable to catch them in that manner — he wavered but a moment, and then with a sigh lay A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. 81 jown the spear and took up his paddle, the greatest example of self-command and honest sportsmanship I ever knew. General Washington, when he refused to be king, was no greater. My friend was not rewarded if he did not sleep happier for it that night in the old cabin on the shore of Lake la Yal ; and if the falling pipe of the rotting stove that nearly crushed his head had killed him, he would have died virtuous, respected and without reproach. Oh, that I had the pen of Julius Ceesar, Homer, Shakspeare, or even Byron, that I might write an ode to sapin, the balsam fir-tree ! Tree of the weary woods- man, tree of the luxurious sportsman, tree of all men whom the drowsy god catches in the woods and compels to his embraces ! A bed of thy leaves is softer than one of eider-down, and far more comfortable. A prince might sleep on thee and dream he was in paradise. Thou preservest us from colds, from rheumatism, and the many ills that flow from the evil humors of the cold ground. Thy leaves, growing in one direction from the stem, will lie flat, and may be piled to any depth— a foot of luxury, as in our permanent camp — and make a couch that combines the softness of the feather-bed with the firmness of the mattress, and an elasticity purely thy own. To thee, and to thy mate the hemlock, and thy associate the white birch, I now, far from thee, waft, in a cloud of tobacco-smoke, my love. Go on, increase and wax great ; may often the one support me on the land, the other on the water ! When the next morning's sun had once more brought round my birthday, the thirty-first that had ever dawned, 4* 82 A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. we commemorated the fact by undertaking to descend the La Yal from the outlet to our home ; a roundabout journey of some fifteen miles, in lieu of the portage of five. It was to be a final test of the depth of the water, as the course lay over bad rapids and falls, and we entered upon the journey with great uncertainty. Pack- ing our temporary bedding in a water-proof blanket, our party embarked and sped gaily along for the first mile or two, but soon found the bed of the stream one mass of huge rocks, over which the canoe had to be driven with sheer force, and which tore and strained the fragile bark till it leaked terribly. During this day our progress was necessarily slow and laborious, and to relieve ourselves we fished continu- ally. The trout rose beautifully — in fact, in one pool they were so thick, sweeping round in shoals, that we grew surfeited, and left it for a spot where they were less plenty. Still it required a long line and light fly to cull the largest — which were the ones we sought — and skill and patience to land them. We might have taken hundreds had the time permitted, or our canoe been in condition to carry them ; but every strain had increased the leak till we could no longer keep it down by bailing, and had to land from time to time to turn the water out. In fact, it was a wet time altogether ; there was a driz- zling rain, the canoe was three inches deep with water, we had both been wading part of the day, and had so arranged our water-proof blanket that it projected be- yond the temporary tent, and catching all the water that drained off, would not permit it to soak through, but collected a miniature Lake la Yal in the middle of our A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. $% bed. I being the heaviest, had the most of it ; but by the aid of a blazing tire, I slept warm and comfortable till the morning air struck me, when the time came to rise, and sent a shiver to my very bones, giving me at first horrible visions of consumption, night-sweats and early death. Our tally of fish taken during the day amounted to fifty-three, weighing nearly two hundred pounds, and I had captured the greatest weight as yet taken at one cast, landing two fish, one of which weighed two and the other three pounds and a half. A handsome present the river gods made me for my birthday ! The next day, after an hour had been spent in vainly trying to attract the salmon, our journey was continued to the camp, the river as we descended proving worse, the rocks higher, the rapids fiercer, the water lower, our canoe frailer, till it came almost to dragging the latter over the bed of a current instead of floating com- fortably along its surface. All hope of ascending to the head-waters was extinct, the rapids above the lake we knew must be worse than those below, and the latter were totally impassable for a loaded canoe. In our despair, we fished steadily at every breathing spell, and might have taken unlimited numbers, for they rose gloriously. While walking unconsciously along, separated from my companions, I was fairly startled at observing what at first glance seemed to be a female figure seated on the opposite side of the stream beneath the bank. The impression was only dissipated by a close inspection. The rains had scooped out of the bank a dark niche, the edges of which were ornamented with vines and moss 84 A TRIP TO THE LA. VAL. and in it was seated a figure of clay, worn to an aston- ishing likeness of a woman with a gipsy bonnet on her head. She appeared to be seated, and her bonnet, its strings and her dress, were accurately imitated by the curling white birch bark. The color of her face seemed dark brunette, set off by the birch bonnet, that was brought out in strong relief by the heavy shadow of the background. Altogether, it was a startling apparition, and conjured np to my eyes the wondrons sights of the times of elfin power, when my spectre would have made a most perfect wood nymph. "Whether my elf gave me good luck or not, it is impos- sible to say, but we caught thirty-seven magnificent fish, and after a hard day's work, during which we had toiled at the canoe and waded most of the way, the camp was no unwelcome sight. It required Pierre's best culinary efforts to restore our spirits, and soothe our disappoint- ment at being unable to effect a further ascent, in which our worst forebodings were confirmed by Jermain, an additional guide who had followed us, and who reported from his Indian friends that the upper stream was impass- able, the water being a foot lower than was ever known before. With sad hearts, therefore, the council of war determined that advance was hopeless, and retreat ine- vitable; even our splendid sport could not console us. It had been drizzling all day, and the next morning we devoted to a general drying of wet articles — the camp looked like a grand clothes washing establishment, with lines stretched from tree to tree round a bis* fire, and hung with clothes. I took some seven trout for dinner, but otherwise the fish had a rest until the mor A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. 85 row, which was to be our last on the river, when we cap- tured twenty-eight, a few of which, however, did not exceed a pound and a half in weight. The next day came, and good bye to the beautiful La Yal. Slowly and sorrowfully we struck our tent, sadly we collected together, and stowed the many little arti- cles that the occasion had hallowed to our hearts. With feelings of deep regret we embarked, and looking our last look at the camping-ground that had been our home, commenced a descent to our chaloupe. As there were three canoes, and only five canoemen, including my friend, I was gladly compelled to take the bow of one and act as steersman. Of course my experience was limited, for, with the exception of having once upset "Walton to his intense disgust, I had taken little active part in canoe management, and having for my stern-oar, Joe, whose only idea was to push ahead under all cir- cumstances, we performed manoeuvres that astonished more than they delighted our associates. Ours was the leaky canoe that had been patched up with gum and a piece of a shirt for the occasion, and being utterly reck- less of it, we shot down rapids and leaped over rocks like a runaway race-horse. Wonderful were our hair breadth escapes; the rapid water, Joe with his "Avarices toujours" gave me no time to see and less to avoid the half-hidden dangers, even if my skill had been equal to the task, and we darted along amid the foaming current, or plunged headlong down cataracts, at a rate and in a manner that would have surprised a locomotive off the track. We succeeded, however, in keeping straight with the current, and although once or twice our destruction S6 A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. seemed inevitable, we finally arrived safe, though in a leaky and dilapidated condition, at the place where we had anchored our chaloupe. The latter, left to herself, had been trying what she could do on the rocks, and had succeeded, with the aid of a falling tide, in upsetting twice, and so frightening the boy in charge of her that he had fled for refuge to a shanty, which providentially was near at hand. Joe had taken the opportunity during our last day's fishing, on hearing of the misfortunes of his boat, to remove her to the Sault de Cochon, so that we had to paddle about two miles in the open St. Lawrence. The river was over twenty miles broad, and, under the influence of a southwesterly wind, was so rough that our un- steady bark danced, tossed and rolled about uncommonly. I could no longer stand up, as I had been forced to do hitherto, and was brought to my knees at once, while even Joe found it safer to sit down on the thwart. No one who has not tried it can imagine what a canoe is in the slightest sea-way ; it appears to bob from under you, and rolls and dances so quickly as to render staying in it almost impossible, even if it should not carry out its evident design to turn bottom up. Once at Sault de Cochon and I again tried the fish, having taken, on the descent of the La Yal, twelve, and was rewarded as I deserved, by total failure. The wind had died out, the water lay a perfect mirror, and, crowding down into the narrow cock-pit, we slept till two o'clock in the morning, when a favoring tide helped us slowly along toward our destination. The night passed, and the next day, and we drifted by place A TRIP TO THE LA VAL. 87 after place that we passed before with such rapidity, and sunset again found us only thirty-three miles on our way. We ran into a little bay at the mouth of the Escomain, where, having built a huge fire and eaten a hearty sup- per, we slept, on a bed of the softest pebble stones, soundly and sweetly till the first grey light of daybreak, when we continued our journey along a coast so poor that the best fed hogs are, as we were credibly informed, light and weak enough to be blown over by a strong wind, and mill-stones, to say nothing of the miller, starve for want of grain. Again the hills of the Saguenay rise to our view, Tadousac rests calmly in its nook, and the sun shines on the white houses of L'Anse a l'Eau as when we left. Our trip is done. The La Yal will live in our memory as long as we can cast a fly — aye, and when gout or age shall have laid us on the shelf. To you, my friend, the genial companion of my trip, I give my thanks ; may we meet again, and once more stand side by side upon some projecting rock, as fish after fish rises to our fly. May you long live to enjoy the sport at which you so excel, and may you leave children that can cast a fly as well. To the stately St. Lawrence, to the magnificent Sague- nay, to the beautiful La Yal, a long farewell. £8 THE SALMON. CHAPTEK Y. THE SALMON. Salmo Salar. — This celebrated fish is totally different in appearance from the trout, having decidedly brilliant scales, colored bluish black down to the lateral line, and beautiful and white as glistening silver below. It has on the gill-covers and upper part of the sides occasion- ally dark irregular spots. The tail is more forked, and proportionally more expanded than that of the trout, while the fish is of a more slim and elegant shape. The branchial rays are twelve, and the fin-rays are as follows : D. 13.0 ; P. 15 ; Y. 9 ; A. 9 . C. 19f . These splendid and valuable fish, whether regarded as an object of the sportsman's skill or the epicurean's taste, though once abundant in our State, are so no more. Hendrick Hudson, on ascending the river he discovered, 1 was particularly struck with their immense numbers, and continually mentions the " great stores of salmon." The last unhappy fish that was seen in the Hudson had his adventurous career terminated by the net, near Troy, in the year 1810. The rivers flowing into Lake Ontario abounded with them even until a recent period, but the persistent efforts at their extinction have at last prevailed, and except a few stragglers they have ceased THE SALMON. 89 from out our waters. The willful, stupid obstinacy in building dams without fish ways, in crowding the rivers with nets, and neglecting all measures for theb protec- tion, have annihilated the noblest of game fish. They are now only to be found in Maine, and to the north- ward of it. The rivers of Maine are no longer worth the angler's attention, and if he would have good sport he must proceed to the wilds of New Brunswick or Lower Canada. In the wild woods of those famed regions they abound, and there, amid the solitude of nature, in its pri meval grandeur, the writer has cast the fly over thou- sands, has lured hundreds from their hidden depths, and seen myriads moving about in their romantic pools, 01 darting away when disturbed ; has waited, casting patiently, for their appearance ; has felt the vigor of their first rush ; has seen them leap, maddened, high out of water ; has experienced all the variations of hope, the exultation of success, and, alas ! the agony of fail- ure. He has known them to dart away resistlessly down some impassable rapid, and leap for joy as they broke his frail tackle, and he has seen them panting with the gaff in their sides and the dark blood streaming over their resplendent scales, as his quick-eyed assistant had secured them at the moment the hook was tearing out. Aye, he once had the good luck of having one that was thrown out of water by the blow, the hook tearing out at the same time, caught on the gaff ere he fell back into the watery grave of hope. The glorious sport ! Ye del vers after the ore of gold, hidden as it seems to be in boxes of silk or bales of cot- 90 THE SALMON. ton, in bits of paper or leaves of ledgers ; ye wearv crawlers through the streets of mammon, who think the world is bounded by the four walls of your ambition ; ye who have been brought up to work, as though work were the aim of life instead of the means of its improve- ment ; ye who have laid up a few hundred for some pet dissipation, a visit to Saratoga or Newport, or a light with the tiger — that man-eater — and ye who must watch every day over your accumulated millions, lest a penny slip into a cranny and be lost, go to the woods, where you will be surrounded by the sombre trees, where the rocks will be your companions and the wind whisper and the stream prattle to you. There you will learn how little it takes to render man comfortable and happy, how but for his reckless passions and extravagant desires all might be satisfied and plenty crown the human race. There, where nature speaks to you in her beauty, in her grandeur, and occasionally in her stupendous power ; where the wonders of the universe by day and night are ever present, like old friends ; where there is naught but the thin air between the Maker and his beings, you may learn what will be more valuable some day than any treasure of gold or silver. Breathe the pure air, shake off every ill that flesh is heir to ; acid to your life, if you love it so well, a week for each day, and that a day of never wearying enjoyment. Take rod and gun, aspire to cast the line far and straight and light, feel the strug- gle of patience, perseverance, skill, resolution, with brute strength and cunning ; know the pleasurable anxiety of the chase, the alternate hope and fear, and the final glory of success. Learn the woodsman's art, the " gentle THE SALMON. £| «raft cf venerie," and wonder at the resources of the wilderness, and on jour return thank me not, if you can. But that you may do it well, read the following prosy instructions carefully, for if they be not entertaining they be useful. The rod for salmon fishing should be from sixteen to twenty feet long ; one of sixteen, or even fifteen, if well made and elastic, will answer. It must be strong and stiff, but not too heavy, and the further it will cast the greater will be the success. Salmon are more wary than trout ; if they see a horrible, ill-shapen being, like man, lashing at them with a long whip, they lie close to the bottom, and it is only by keeping well out of sight, and never disturbing or approaching the pool, that they can be tempted. A short rod, though it may be capable of casting the requisite distance, will not give sufficient command nor enable the angler to lift the fly with facility. The fly must be cast straight, light, and as far as pos- sible ; it must be put exactly upon the right ripple, and must fall like a snow-flake ; it should, if the water is still, be allowed to sink a few inches and then drawn up to and along the surface a foot or so, again allowed to sink, and so on till it is raised for another cast. It is not moved as rapidly, nor with precisely the same tremulous motion as in trout fishing. Often a long time passes before a fish, no matter how plenty they may be, will rise ; and when he does come, it is as often to play with and slap at the fly as to take it. Nothing is more pro- vokingly exciting than to have a magnificent fish rush again and again at your fly, leap over and around it, 92 THE SALMON break near it or strike at it with his tail, without, hoiv ever, showing the slightest desire to take it in his mouth. A fish hooked foul, though he gives a great deal of trouble, and often breaks the tackle, does not afford half the legitimate sport of one that has the hook in the mouth. When fish are playing thus, and it is fully determined that they will not take the allurement presented them, no matter how attractive, it becomes necessary to substi- tute another, and continue so doing till their dainty pal- ates are satisfied. "When they finally take hold, have a care for their first rush ; the pain, if pain they feel, or astonishment, drives them wild, and they dash and fling themselves about, leap out of water, and carry on generally in a manner to surprise weak nerves. Finding their efforts to escape vain, they will dart down the nearest rapids, and here they must be followed if the water is too shallow for the canoe, by the angler, with the agility of the antelope. He must have feet, hands, and eyes for everything. The fish must be guided through the safest current, the line kept clear of rocks, while the angler must pursue his course through pools and over ledges and bowlders, slip- pery with the water, and requiring the sureness of foot of the chamois. On, on he must go, regardless of falls or bruises, his reel making sweet music to the uncoiling line, keeping within sight of his prey till the latter reaches the next pool or resting-place. After an hour's struggle in this, he may take down another rapid in the same vigorous style. In these descents the angler will find his gaff, if shod with iron, a great convenience in THE SALMON. 93 steadying his steps, and heavy shoes with iron nails will in a measure prevent his slipping and will obviate stone bruises, although they are apt to break the delicate knees of the canoe, and should be removed before getting into one, and moccasins or slippers sub- stituted. There is a well authenticated story of one fish that was struck at six o'clock in the evening, followed down through three rapids, and finally lost at half-past ten o'clock that evening. Salmon will sulk, remaining motionless at the bottom for a long time after they are wearied with an unsuc- cessful struggle, and must be aroused with pebbles, bear- ing on the line, or in some other way. Many of the pools in the Canadian waters have been worn out of clay banks, and their sides under water are often perpendicu- lar or overhanging. When the fish sulks in one of these, the line cuts into the edge of this bank, and is of course broken to pieces by the first rush. Gentleness will do much with fish, as with other rea- sonable beings, and a friend of mine saved a number in a pool above an impassable rapid, where other anglers had pronounced fishing impracticable, by striking and handling the fish with extreme delicacy till they were led to the head of the pool away from the dangerous neighborhood. There is no superlative salmon line made ; the best, probably, plaited silk, tapered and covered with a prepa- ration to exclude the water ; but that in general use is of hair and silk plaited or twisted — a combination that, as we elsewhere remark, is by no means advantageous ; a plain hair line is preferred by careful anglers, and sim- 94 THE SALMON. pie silk will answer. The leader should be of single gut, if round and strong, and may be colored in tea. Double gut will break the rod but not save the fish. The flies, contrary to the received opinion in Europe, should be dark, especially clarets and browns, above all the impal- pable "fiery brown," and of rather a small size, with a few larger for rough water. The reel should be large enough to carry two hundred yards of line, although with activity and a hundred an angler may make out. As for the number of fish, even in the best streams, those who read Lanmann must receive his statements with, to use a moderate term, some allowance. Ten or twelve fish in the course of a day is excellent luck, and will keep the angler sufficiently occupied and excited, but the average good fishing through the season is not half that number, and there are many blank days. The upper shore of the St. Lawrence furnishes the largest fish, but New Brunswick the most abundant. The rivers in the former are mostly leased to individuals by the government, and of course closed to the public except by the consent of the lessees. That famous association called the Hudson's Bay Company, a kingdom within a kingdom, until a few years ago, were sole proprietors of fishing rights, but having taken pains worthy of our emulation to destroy the fish, the government curtailed their privileges, and passed stringent laws and regula- tions, which are set out in the appendix, for the preserva- tion of the fish. The rivers of New Brunswick are still free.* The fly-fishing in Canada lasts till the first day of Sep- tember, and in New Brunswick till the fifteenth ; but * This is changed. There is no free salmon fishing in the Provinces. THE SALMON. 95 the net fishing terminates earlier, and in Canada all spearing or fishing by torchlight is stringently forbidden. These laws are, strange as it may seem to ns, enforced with commendable energy in Canada, though in New Brunswick our mode of letting the people override the laws prevails. The best river in New Brunswick beyond all com- parison, is the Nipisiquit, emptying in the Bay of Cha- leurs, and near it are several almost as prolific* In Lower Canada the Mingan, the Moisie, the Busamite stand preeminent, but have many rivals. Directions foi reaching them have been given under the head cf sea trout fishing, but instead of taking a sail-boat, as there suggested, from any port on the river St. Lawrence, the same might be clone either from Bathurst or Prince Edward's Island, both of which are nearer the lower streams. There are many excellent rivers on the coast of Labra- dor as far as the Straits of Belie Isle, or even farther, and they would be well worth a visit, either in one of our clipper yachts or in a fast schooner. Many are entirely beyond the realms of civilization, and a pleasant party night have a glorious time and abundant sport. It would be necessary to take canoemen and canoes, or what is strongly recommended, small, light fiat-boatf. that can be rowed or poled by one man, and which can be purchased for five dollars apiece at most of the gulf seaports. Arm yourself, then, with two good salmon rods ; they may be so made us to constitute a trout rod as well, not by any means one of those detestable nondescripts called * The best river now is the Restigouche. 96 THE SALMON. a general rod, but two rods distinct with joints fitting to each other. Take with you two good lines, plenty 01 flies, extra gut and hooks, leaders and feathers, and a strong hook gaff, but not that dangerous, unwieldy instrument called a spring gaff. Thus equipped, go forth conquering and to conquer, and may good luck attend you. Seek any of the rivers we shall name, ascend them in your fragile canoe, station yourself early in the morning or at the approach of evening, choose your best fly, keep well out of view, cast far and light, and may you many and many a time be rewarded with the fierce rush of the mighty salmon, his struggle and final con- quest, and may your sleep be sound and your heart at rest amid nature's primeval hills. May the black flies and mosquitoes spare you. may the sand-fly not find you out, may the heat be tempered to you by day and the cold by night, may you not lose your footing too often, nor fall too hard, and may your fish be the largest, strongest and bravest that ever were taken. May you receive that mercy which you show, never drawing one drop of useless blood, nor causing one unnecessary pang. The aid of all good men and true is needed both by precept and example, to save the tenants of the water from final extermination. By putting restraint upon ourselves, never being guilty of wanton slaughter, by steadily urging measures for the preservation of the game, and by invariably obeying and compelling others to obey such laws as should be passed, we may be able to leave to our children a heritage of pleasure that bountiful nature has abundantly provided for ourselves. No fish are more defenceless and more readily destroyed than THE SALMON. ' 97 trout and salmon ; there are certain prerequisites to the continuance of the species that must be complied with. The fish must ascend to the fresh water to spawn, and if prevented by an improperly constructed dam, will quit the locality never to return. It should be known that, contrary to the usually received opinion, salmon cannot surmount a fall of much over ten feet ; this, probably, is the full extent of their powers. And in effecting this, much depends upon the depth of water at its foot ; the deeper it is the higher they can leap. They do not take their tails in their mouths, according to the ancient theory, to enable them to spring higher, but rush with their utmost velocity from the bottom, and are carried by their momentum a considerable distance out of water. Such a leap or a struggle against strong rapids weakens them, and they must soon rest to recover strength for another ascent. They thus congregate below each fall, and often make many efforts before they overcome it. They usually move at night or early in the morning. A dam of fif- teen or twenty feet will effectually exclude them from any stream, but may be rendered innocuous at small expense by placing below the wasteway boxes of heavy wood, with a fall of not over iive feet from one to the other. A salmon leaps from the river to the first, from that to the next, and so on till he has overcome the barrier. A broad sluiceway leading at a moderate *ngle to the pool below, will probably answer as well.* The fish, as they enter the rivers, may be deterred _rom entering, or all captured in nets spread entirely across the mouth, and when those that do pass have * See Post as to modern fishways. 98 THE SALftl(A>. reached the spawning beds, they are peculiarly exposed to the cruel spear. At night, by this instrument, with the aid of flambeaux, hundreds may be killed and many more wounded and left to perish miserably. If they are to continue in reasonable numbers, nets must not be set close together, the spawning beds must be undisturbed, and the murderous spear utterly prohibited. "With these precautions and a regulation concerning the sized mesh that is used, this valuable source of pleasure, health and profit may not only be retained but indefinitely augmented; without such care the day is not far off when " the places that knew them will know them no more," when their bright sides will no longer gleam beneath the waves or glisten as they gambol in the sun- light, when the nets will cease to yield a return, when the fishermen, longing regretfully for their most valuable prize, will find their occupation gone, and honest and dishonest, fair fisherman and sneaking poacher, alike be overwhelmed in one common ruin. Surely we have too much good sense, too much public spirit, too much energy and determination to submit to such a calamity ; let us unite, then, in repressing unseasonable and unlaw- ful fishing, in preserving and protecting the fish, and in restoring rivers that have been exhausted. In the salt water, salmon never take the fly, and rarely bait of any kind, although they feed on sand eels and small fish in addition to shell-fish ; but as they advance into brackish or fresh water, they either miss their natu- ral food and become hungry, or get accustomed (o feed- ing on grasshoppers and insects, and are deceived hy the artificial fly, and will at times take the bait. THE SALMON. 99 When they leave the salt water, the sea-lice that have fastened to them fall off, frequently to be replaced by fresh-water parasites, and this is sometimes given as the reason for their leaving the sea so early in the year, although they do not spawn till the Fall. "While spawn- ing they are unfit to eat, and after the operation are utterly exhausted. In this condition, when returning to the sea, they are termed kelts, the male being distin- guished as a kipper and the female as a baggit. As the spawning season approaches, a curious cartilaginous hook grows from the lower jaw, which is supposed to be a provision of nature to prevent an unfortunate termina- tion to the many desperate contests between the males at that period. The habits of salmon are by no means determined ; in fact, little is known positively about them. It has been even suggested that grilse are a distinct species, although it is hardly doubted with us but they are young salmon. Their times of visiting the fresh water are subject to peculiar individual exceptions; in fact, it may be said there are two opinions among fishermen, and persons who have watched salmon for twenty and thirty years assert that some are ascending while others are descending. Izaak Walton says that salmon spawn in August, which is directly contrary to the views of other English writers, and certainly not in accordance with the practice of our fish. Others again say they return to the salt water in September, and reascend the rivers later in the Fall. The young in all stages have been disputed over, and called by divers names, such as pinks, smolts, parr, brandling, samlet, peal, grilse, until one 100 THE SALMON. hardly knows what sort of fish he really has captured. Every writer has his theory, and the following is mine ; it may be true or not, but the statements of fact are. Salmon are never found in our rivers except in three stages : First, a little fish much like a trout, but with a larger eje and richer colors ; they have no blue spots, but have darker bands on their sides ; they weigh from half an ounce to half a pound. Second, the grilse, which is precisely like a salmon, except that it weighs from two and a half to six pounds. Third, the salmon, which weighs from eight to eighty pounds. Salmon first appear in the fresh water about the 10th of June, and grilse a month later. The main run of the former is from June 15th to August 1 5th in New Brunswick, and from June 10th to July 20th in Canada. The explanation of this difference is simple : the Canadian fish are much the largest, averaging double the size of their more southern brethren, and as the waters fall during the hot months of Summer, they must ascend earlier than smaller fish, and before the spring freshets have entirely subsided, or they would never reach the high waters at all. Strag- gling fish, however, are running up at all seasons, early and late, and a few probably remain in the fresh water the entire year, or descend only when they are sickened by a lengthened residence in an unchanged element. Salmon do not spawn in Summer, but in Winter, com- mencing not earlier, and often later, than October ; the fish that ascend last probably spawn last. Then they return to the sea ; but not at once, some remaining under the ice through the "Winter, others going immediately. My theory, therefore, is that the young fish , whether you THE SALMON. 101 call them fry, or pinks, or smolts, or peal, go to the sea usually a year after their birth, but with no invariable regularity, and will then average six ounces in weight, many undoubtedly waiting till the Fall, or eighteen months after birth; that they return the succeeding July grilse;* that the grilse spawn the following Novem- ber, and after visiting the sea, reappear next Spring as salmon. The young fish are taken with the fly through the Summer in all the salmon rivers, and require a second glance to distinguish them from young trout, although they are very different, one decisive peculiarity being that their backs are arched or hogged, and another, as I have mentioned, that their eyes are large. The fry of trout — and recollect grown trout are not banded — have light sides, and are found usually in more quiet water. It would be well if sportsmen should call the fish in question respectively salmon fry, grilse, and salmon, and eschew all other fanciful names, as leading only to con- fusion. Salmon are never taken in fresh water with any food in their stomachs ; they are reported not to eat their young, and do not apparently feed on flies. The fry feed almost entirely on flies, and I have seen them pick off one after another as skillfully as a trout ; but I have never distinctly seen a salmon take a natural fly. When they spring out of water, it is in play, and at such times, contrary to the rule with trout, casting over them will be in vain, they will not rise. Moreover, our flies do not in the least resemble the natural flies of the rivers, which are of a dull green, and the salmon rivers afford very few flies at best. Observe me, I do not refer to mosqui- * Probably at least a year later Iban this. 102 THE SALMON. toes or black gnats, at neither of which would gentle- manly fish deign to look. My theory, therefore, is, that salmon do not feed during the spawning season, but are supported by the animalculse in the water, and have poor commons at that, as their miserable condition soon testi- fies. Many varieties of fish live without apparent food, often with the additional disadvantage of infrequent change of water, as goldfish in a globe. When salmon first arrive in the harbors, they coast along the shore, and are then taken in nets, which are required by law to have a mesh too large to capture grilse ; later, they leave the warm shallows, and follow the cooler channel beyond the nets, which are only per- mitted to extend a certain distance. The tide-water fishing is therefore practically over by the 1st of August. Net fishing above the salt water is forbidden, or at least subject to the same restrictions, which, if they were enforced, would almost put an end to it ; but, discredit- able as it may seem, and short-sighted as such conduct unquestionably is, this law is totally disregarded in many rivers, where of course the fish are rapidly diminishing. They spawn over gravelly flats and pools, covering up the ova after impregnation, and then descend slowly, greatly emaciated, ugly and woe-begone, to the sea. At such times, although they will still take the fly, they are unfit to eat, and while they notwithstanding frequently fall a victim to the cruel spear of the murderous savage, no true angler nor honest man will harm them. Casting the fly gracefully and effectively is a peculiar art, hard to acquire, and picturesque to witness ; it if. altogether different from slashing the water, and almost THE SALMON. 103 4S difficult of mastery as the corresponding science of trout fishing. The rod, being long and compara- tively heavy, must be held in both hands, which are changed occasionally so as to alternate that at the but, and teach the angler to cast over either shoulder. The line is lengthened to the proper distance, is raised with a springing jerk, swung out straight behind, and then again cast forward with the same springy motion. The work has to be done with the tip, which, except in cast- ing against the wind, must be kept as elevated as possi- ble. The stiffer the rod the more command the angler has over his line in avoiding the rocks and making the best of awkward places ; but this is counterbalanced by the disadvantages of excessive weight and a stiffness in striking that frequently breaks the casting line. A rod will cast four times its length beyond the tip ; one of sixteen feet, therefore, will cast sixty-four feet of line, ordinarily abundant ; and although one of twenty feet will cover sixteen more feet, unless it is made of cedar it is uncomfortably heavy. A cedar rod would be perfec- tion, but it is not to be trusted in the hands of a bungler. "When there is any current, and it is rare to take salmon elsewhere, the fly is cast across the stream and allowed to swing over the fish, which invariably lie with their heads up-stream. When a salmon intends to rise, he generally separates himself from his companions and waits till the fly approaches to the precise distance that pleases him. Then " Strike for your altars and your homes," 104 THE SALMON. not too hard, but as quick as the lightning from tne sky, and this although contrary to the English books, on the ground that a salmon, if he rises once and fails to tonch the fly, will always come again. If, however, he has tasted the unappetizing morsel, and has not been hooked, for he is quick to spit it out, you will see him no more. If you fail to hook a fish on the first rise, it is well if you can keep your impatience under control, to rest him by casting elsewhere a few times, and if you fail to strike him on the third rise, change your fly. Salmon are extremely particular and dainty in their tastes, and it is never advisable to fish too long with one fly unless they take it well. The great rules are — keep out of sight, change your flies and rest the pools. The best time of a clear day is early and late, and in the midday heat not a boat nor a line should disturb the water ; in fact, a pool that a canoe has crossed is ruined for the day, and when there is no rising, there is little good in casting. A pool that is not disturbed at night would be found much better, as a consequence, in the morning. But after your fish is hooked, after he is played and almost played out, after you have exhausted him, and brought him skillfully and carefully to shore, he is not yet in the pot ; nor will he be unless you have an assis- tant expert with the gafT. There are all sorts of direc- tions about this important operation, some authors saying a fish must be gaifed in the shoulder, others preferring the tail, some the belly, and some the back, but, in fact, one place is as good another ; the main points are not to miss nor graze him, and not to jerk so hard as to throw THE SALMON. 105 him off tJie gaff. To prevent this, where you anticipate finding only awkward aids, it is well to carry a gaff with a small barb, like an ordinary hook. I have had the indescribable pleasure of seeing my fish flung across the boat, and dropped in the water on the other side. The moment the fish is struck, the handle should be held perpendicular, so that he cannot flounce off. The best size for this implement is a length of nine inches from the end of the shank to the middle of the bend, from the latter four inches in a straight line to the point, which should be delicate and sharp, and at least two inches and three-eighths from the inner edge of the shank opposite ; the bend should swell out so as to be three inches across at its widest, and the end of the shank must be bent back and sharpened ; the steel tapers gradually from the point to a thickness of one quarter of an inch. Being nothing more than a large hook, it is easily carried, and when wanted for use, fastened to any suitable stick by driving in the projection on the shank, and winding the whole with stout cord. For very large salmon, a stronger and larger gaff would be desir- able, and for grilse a smaller one. When fish run, and throw themselves out of water, some writers direct you to taughten your line ; but I say, heed them not. Your line is well out and sunk to some distance, the very jump of the fish will consequently bring a great strain on the hook, without your aid, and many a fish is lost by such usage. On the contrary, if you give to him as he leaps, you diminish the tension, and then the quicker you take up the line after he has fallen back, the better. If, on the contrary, when he 5* [06 THE SALMON. leaps he is near by you, and your line straight and out of water, he will try and strike it with his tail to break it, in which he may also be foiled by giving to him. My experience is to this eifect, and you will soon find out, if the fish are large and strong, how hard it is to do otherwise. It has been said that four times the length of the rod beyond the tip is the utmost length of line that can be handled with dexterity ; it is not meant that more can- not be cast, for I have often cast five times the length, but with an effort that soon becomes wearisome, and, if across a rapid current, without the requisite command. It is best to fish down stream, if possible, as otherwise your line sinks, and even in fishing across there will be considerable slack line. This is a second reason for rapid striking. There is another mode of managing a line, which is sometimes called casting, and by which a distance of eighty yards can be covered. The angler has a rod as thick at the tip as one's little finger, and a hair line as thick as the tip. Of course no reel can be used, as such a line would not run through the rings, or be contained on the barrel. The line tapers regularly to the fly. It is usually used in rapid water, and to cast, the fisherman waives his rod from side to side, lifting as much of it as possible clear of the water, and then throws out strongly with an underhand motion. The line rolls, as it were, raising itself from the water, as the impetus advances, till the fly is taken up and jerked over, so to speak, at an incredible distance. When a fish is struck he is drawn in by hand. I have not tried this proceeding sufficiently to speak positively, but think that THE SALMON. 107 the heavy waxed lines now in general use would answer to a comparative degree. It is a difficult though not refined mode of fishing, and is the only way of casting eighty yards. The following is a list of the principal salmon and trout rivers of Canada and New Brunswick, with the distances of the former from Quebec, and such informa- tion as could be obtained concerning their character and condition. Those marked in italics have been leased to private individuals, but the leasing changes year by year. The Jacques Cartier is the only river near Quebec which, at the present time, affords any salmon. From Quebec to Murray Bay is . 78 miles. Here there is a river that furnishes a few salmon and many fine trout. From Murray Bay to the Saguenay is 44 — 120 There is excellent sea trout fishing in the Saguenay and its tributary, the St. Marguerite, is a superior salmon river. River Escoumain 23 Between it and the Saguenay are the two Bergeronnes. and both furnish a few salmon and many trout. Portneuf 26 Plenty of trout and some salmon. Sault de Cochon 9 Impassable for salmon, but affording excellent trout fishing at its mouth. LaVal .2 Snperioi salmon and trout river. 108 THE SALMON. Bersamis miles 24 — 84 Affording in its tributaries many fine salmon ; between it and the La Yal are the Colombia, Plover and Blanche, all poor salmon streams. Outardes 11 Manicouagan 16 Mistassini 12 Betscie 3 Of these rivers I can obtain no satisfactory informa- tion. Godbout 15— 57- -261 A celebrated salmon river, one of the best in the province. Trinity 15 Good salmon and trout fishing. Little Trinity 10 Calumet 3 Pentecost 14 Not a salmon river. St. Margaret 36 One of the best salmon and trout rivers. Moisie 24—103—364 Fine large salmon are taken in this river, and it is widely celebrated. Trout 7 Manitou 35 Good trout fishing ; the salmon are obstructed by falls. Sheldrake 16 Magpie 22 Furnishes a few salmon. THE SALMON. 109 St. John 5 An admirable salmon stream. Mingan 16—101—465 Probably the best river in the province for salmon, and excellent for tront. Pomaine ....... 9 An excellent stream for both salmon and tront. Wascheeshoo 53 Pashasheboo 18 A few salmon. Nabesippi 7 Agwanus 5 A fair supply of salmon. ISTatashquan Salmon fine and abundant. Kegashka Salmon impeded by falls. Musquarro Affords good salmon fishing. "Washeecootai . Olomanosheebo Coacoacho Contains some salmon. Etamamu Fine salmon fishery. 14—106—571 23 ISTetagamu A fine trout stream. Mecattina Good salmon fishing. Ha Ha . St. Augustine . 15 12 11 18 21 16 HO THE SALMON Affords many salmon. Esquimaux . . . 14—149—720 An excellent salmon river, somewhat run down. In New Brunswick there are salmon in the St. John and its tributaries, but the best of the latter, the Nash waak, has been closed with an impassable dam. From St. John it is easy to take the cars to Shediac, and cross to Prince Edward's Island, where there is magnificent trout fishing, especially near Charlotte, and tolerable accommodation ; or one can take the Quebec steamer to Bathurst and fish the Nipisiquit, which is admitted to be the best river in tjie province, or the Pestigouche and its tributaries, an excellent stream, but much injured by spearing ; or the Cascapediacs, which furnish some sal- mon and innumerable grilse. The Miramichi, between Shediac and Bathurst, is a fine large stream. The streams in Canada emptying into the St. Law- rence from the south shore, are hardly worth mentioning as salmon rivers, having been ruined by mill-dams, with the exception of those that empty into Gaspe basin, but they all afford superior trout fishing. I would here remark, that where the name trout is mentioned in con- nection with the British Provinces, the Salmo Trutta Marina, or sea trout, is always intended ; and the sal- mon fishing spoken of is fly fishing. The rivers that empty into Gaspe basin, such as the Dartmouth, York and St. John, are leased, as also the Bonaventure, that flows into the Bay of Chaleurs. As explicit directions for travelling through the benighted regions called the British Provinces, the fol- THE SALMON. HI lowing are given from a somewhat unwillingly extended experience. Take the night train or any route that will bring you to Boston before half past seven a.m., for at that hour the boat leaves for St. John, not St. Johns, which is in Newfoundland. If you are too late, you may still, by means of the cars, intercept the same vessel at Port- land. This boat does not leave daily, but generally advertises in the New York and always in the Boston papers. It touches at Portland, w T here you may take a steamboat on its arrival to Calais, and proceed thence by railroad to the Scoodic Kiver, where there is fine white, not sea, trout fishing, or stop at St. Andrews, whence there is a railroad in progress to Woodstock, on the St. John River. The Boston boat reaches St. John in about thirty- two hours, or at three o'clock ; the fare is six dollars ; the meals extra, and, consequently, extra good. The Waverley House, in St. John, kept by J. Scam- mell, affords the best, though poor, accommodation, at a reasonable price. A train leaves on the arrival of the boat for Shediac, and makes the one hundred and ten miles in six hours, at a fare of three dollars. From She- diac a steamboat that connects with the train carries you to Chatham in twelve hours for three dollars and fifty cents, the meals being extra and infamous. At Shediac. John Q. Adams keeps the Adams House, and will fur- nish information by letter as to the time of the starting of the boats. Bowser's Hotel is the best in Chatham. From Chatham to Bathurst, forty-five miles, you are compelled to travel in a stage that only leaves three [12 THE SALMON. times a week, and never on the arrival of the boat, and will occupy ten hours of your time at a charge of three dollars and a half ; or you may take an extra for sixteen dollars. If you hire one of Kelley, the stage proprietor, make a tight bargain, for he is Biblical and takes in strangers. In case you should be too late to reach Bathurst the same day, or have leisure on your hands, stop at the Half-way House on the Tabasintac, which has the last syllable accentuated, and fish that night and the next morning for sea trout. They are taken from a horse-boat in abundance and of great size. In Bathurst there is a good hotel called the Welling- ton, kept by Mr. Baldwin, with the efficient aid of Mary ; and also a more private establishment, by Bela Packard, which is the customary resort of Americans. There is a telegraph from St. John to Bathurst, and Baldwin will meet at Chatham any guests that send him word, and bring them to Bathurst for fourteen dollars. In the latter place, Ferguson, Kankin & Co. will furnish all the heavy outfit, such as pork, biscuit, butter, tea, sugar, tobacco, and will have them ready put up if written to beforehand. As it is customary on the Nipisiquit to loan the guides blankets, the same firm keep them on hand, and will lend them to those that buy stores of them. Once or twice a month the Arabian leaves She- diac and stops within a couple of miles of Bathurst, and if you can manage to suit your time to hers, you can go direct and be ticketed through for ten dollars. Her days may be ascertained at the office of the Boston boats, but it is well to telegraph to Bathurst to have a canoe to meet you, as otherwise you may have difficulty in reach- THE SALMON. 113 ing town from the landing. The same steamer and its associate, the Lady Head, run to Dalhousie, at the month of the Restigouche, or a stage for that place leaves Bathurst three times a week. The Lady Head does not stop at Bathurst, on account of her draught of water. On the Erpisiquit it is customary to have a camp- keeper or cook for the party, and two canoemen to each angler ; they furnish the canoe and receive one dollar a day each. The following are good men : John, Peter and Bruno Chamberlain ; John makes a good fly, but is sulky and willful ; Bruno- is lazy ; JSTed Veno and David Buchet, both of whom arc excellent and willing, and Fabian Bodereau, who is a fair cook. To save your men some heavy work, where you do not intend to fish the Rough Waters, you drive with your stores to the Round Rocks, the Pabineau Falls, or, if you please, even to the Grand Falls, but the latter part of the road is bad. The only fishing on the Miramichi is above Boiestown, and to reach it you leave St. John in the night or day boat for Fredericton, arriving there in eight hours at an expense of one dollar and a half. The night boat runs three times a week. The best house in Fredericton is the Barker House, kept by Mr. Fairweather, and in this city you must get your supplies for the woods. The stage leaves every Tuesday and Friday for Boiestown, nominally at ten a.m., and reaches that collection of huts nominally at six p.m. The fare is two dollars and a half, and the ordinary charge for an extra is ten dollars, but remember the stage proprietor is Kelfey. The best tavern in Boiestown is kept by Avery, but about five 114 THE SALMON. miles up the river, at Campbelltowii, is a nice house owned by William Wilson, and the true plan is either to write to him to meet you at Fredericton, or drive over to his place. He will engage your men, aid you with the supplies, provide you with bread, besides making you generally comfortable, and you have gained so much in the ascent of the river. The stage from Boiestown runs to Chatham, and by that means you may continue to the Nipisiquit, but there is no reliance to be placed on it, and an extra from Fredericton to Chatham, one hun- dred and ten miles, costs thirty dollars. The stage fare is seven, and there is no telegraph to Boiestown. One of the most interesting ways of reaching the various rivers of New Brunswick is by portaging from the head-waters of one into those of another. For instance, a steamboat leaves Fredericton semi-weekly, when the water is not too low, for the Grand Falls on the St. John ; a few miles above, the Grand River debouches, from the head-waters of which a short port- age of a few miles takes you into the Waugan, one of the branches of the Restigouche, or you may stop below the Falls and ascend the Tobique, a noble river, full of salmon, but which, strange to say, will not take the fly, and from Lake Nictou, the source of the Tobique, you can readily portage into Lake Nipisiquit, and by ascend- ing the main forks of the latter, a short portage puts you on the TJpsal quitch, a branch of the Restigouche, and abounding in salmon. Another confluent of the St. John, the Shiktahauk, is crossed at its head by the Royal Road, where a wagon can be had to convey your baggage to a branch of the Southwest Miramichi, and THE SALMON. 115 from Newcastle, at the mouth of the latter river, yon can ascend the Northwest Miramichi and strike the Nipisiquit near the Grand Falls. These are but a few of the simplest voyages that may be made, but a glance at the map, or a talk with any old Indian guide, will reveal many others. * * Travelling in the Dominion has been much improved since the feregoing was written, and the hotels are better. The expenses of living are higher than thsy were, but still much cheaper than in the United States. 116 NEW BRUNSWICK. CHAPTER VI. NEW BRUNSWICK. One bright moonlight night in the early part of Bum- mer, a heavy wagon, drawn by two powerful horses, was bowling along one of the dreary level roads of the province of New Brunswick. It was loaded down with trunks on the rack, barrels under the seats, that were built on springs above the sides for that purpose, and bundles and bags innumerable in the bottom, and two long leathern cases that suggested salmon rods. It car- ried three men ; the driver, tall and spare, with a shrewd eye, and long, curly, black hair, was turned half-way round in the seat, assuming an attitude that combined comfort with facility of conversation. On the back seat, a middle aged gentleman, whose hair and beard were silvered o'er, but whose eye was bright as in his earliest youth, and a younger man of stout build with brownish hair and beard. Their talk was of the forest, and many thrilling tales of danger, or exciting ones of the chase, were told; vivid descriptions of how the moose, the caribou, the red deer, met his fate ; stories of the tiger, the wild boar, the rhinoceros and unwieldy elephant ; or peaceful description of killing the beautiful trout, the fierce, striped bass, or the voracious mascallonge. The time wore pleasantly away as they passed along between NEW BRUNSWICK. 117 the sombre lines of spruce and hemlock and juniper, as they ran into the deep shade or emerged into the open moonlight till they came in sight of the Nashwaak, seaming the dark earth like a vein of silver, when a glo- rious view presented itself to their attention. Far away as the eye could reach, stretched the valley of Nashwaak, silent as the repose of death ; not a sound but the rat- tle of the wheels broke the still air, while the moon bathed the rocks, the earth, the trees, with its uncertain light, formed weird shapes out of the foliage, or cast strange shadows across the road. Still on, however, scarcely pausing — as every true sportsman must pause before the beauties of nature — the party were soon lost in the shady descent that led toward the bank of the stream, whose course they followed some miles, crossing it beyond, over a high, substantial bridge. The road then branched off, traversing the unbroken wilderness, where for miles not a habitation was visible, till mid- night found them amid a heavy shower at McCloud's, the half-way house from Fredericton to Boiestown. The horses under the shed, a sound thumping on the door brought out the host, who attended to the wants of man and beast, and sent them on their way rejoicing, as soon as the storm had abated. There was little vari- ety in the scene ; the road was mostly level and good, the forest was of the same dull character, with many dead trunks towering up amid it ; there were few houses and no settlements, and the country was principally ore vast plain. As the morning light began to streak the east with grey, they came in sight of the peaceful Mira- michi, and turning off from the main road across the 118 NEW BRUNSWICK. Taxes Kiver, followed the course of the larger stream, till, nearly opposite a beautiful spring, where they had stopped to water their horses, they turned into a barway, and in a moment more reached Wilson's, their prospec- tive head- quarters. Wilson's habitation was a quaint-looking log house, perched on the edge of a bank overhanging what is called the interval, or fruitful stretch of level land lying between the river and the hills, and its evident antiquity bore testimony that it had belonged to one of the earliest settlers. A well-stocked garden, an extensive barn, a large drove of sheep and cows, suggested what an industrious and comely wife and daughter confirmed, that Wilson's was a well-to-do family. As a general thing, the people of this region are of the most short-sighted possible character ; they live for the present, and an easy way of making a dollar is irresistible, though it may entail the final loss of ten. The country is slowly going back to a savage condition ; farmers, instead of attending to their farms, speculate in lumber, because it enriches one man in fifty; mortgage their farms, which are sold under foreclosures to strangers and allowed to grow up with weeds and bushes. Tens of thousands of acres are in this condition, and are being fast rendered irreclaimable. Instead of encouraging fish- ermen to come and spend money among them, although they admit it is about the only money they see, they annoy and overcharge at such a rate that they have driven away all but a few from Fredericton. Insteac 1 of preserving and increasing the fish, they obstruct the NEW BRUNSWICK. 119 channel entirely with nets, striving by one grand haul to destroy the supply forever. To this general rule Wilson is the only exception, and may be relied on, not only to do whatever in reason is required of him, but to do it at a moderate price. His only extravagant charge is for driving to Fredericton to meet his guests. The guides were waiting for us, and after making the requisite preparations and passing a comfortable night in the old log house, we started next day on our journey toward the head-waters of the Miramichi. Our canoes were made of the log of a tree, and familiarly called dug-outs, and were admirably adapted to the purpose. Being extremely long, sometimes thirty feet, and nar- row, they offer every convenience for poling, draw but little water, and are not injured by contact with a rock, that would pierce the thin bark of the delicate birch canoe, and will hold their way better against a strong rapid. They are made of the trunk of some tow- ering branchless pine-tree that the adventurous woods- man has marked during the winter for his own, and which, after being cut down, is transported to a conve- nient place, where it is hewn into the shape of the outside of the boat. Augur holes are bored in the bottom, and pegs, tw T o inches long, are driven, to answer for guides aa to thickness. The inside is then roughly hewn away, till the pegs are reached, when it is smoothed off, being left two inches thick at the bottom, and a half inch at the gunwale. Slender knees are introduced at proper dis- tances to prevent its warping under the sun ; a brace is fastened across from gunwale to gunwale, near the stem and stern, and the boat is complete. It is worth about X20 NEW BRUNSWICK. twelve dollars, and having neither braces nor thwarts, but an open space its entire length, is convenient for holding a long rod, and being steadier under foot, offers many advantages over the birch canoe. It is particularly excellent in descending a shallow river, where occasional contact with rocks is inevitable ; but is too heavy to portage comfortably. For rapid travel, either up or down stream, it is invaluable. Our baggage was stowed, a comfortable seat made with the end of the tent upon the bottom of the canoe, our rods were rigged out for an occasional cast, and w T e commenced the ascent of the " Smiling Water." There had been heavy and continuous rains, and quite a freshet had now changed its ordinary placid exterior into one of angry turbulence. The river poured down fierce and wild, crested with foam and discolored with sand and decayed matter. But we made swift progress ; starting five miles above Boiestown, we soon passed the last settlement, and entering among the mountains, amid which flows the upper stream, trusted ourselves alone to the dangers of the wilderness, to the mercy of the black-flies for our comfort, and to our skill as sportsmen for our support. Ten months of close confinement in the city, years amid the horrors of civilization, had well prepared us to appreciate a return to man's natural state of savage life ; long contact with vice and folly had made us eager to taste once more of truth and purity, the communion with nature uncorrupted and unsullied ; to feel the aii blow through the waving trees instead of down narrow streets; to hear the water rippling over its native bed, NEW BRUNSWICK. 121 a«*d not through Croton pipes ; to see the sun shine from out the blue sky, instead of being reflected amid murk and smoke from heated bricks. The spruce and fir-trees stretched in solid mass like a green wall on either side; occasionally, a white pine loomed above them, or a birch, with its satin bark, broke the dull hue ; or where the landscape was more open, the graceful elm or willow stood forth in solitary beauty ; and the juniper, with its endless names of hack- matac, tamarack, larch or cypress, waved its weird arms aloft ; or the light, quivering poplar, with its never- resting leaves, cast an uncertain shade. The weather had been changeable all day, occasionally bright and pleasant, the next moment dark and lowering — now the sun shining bright and warm over the hill- sides, then the rain driving in spiteful showers and veil- ing them in mist. The storm no sooner forced on our overcoats than the sunshine persuaded them off. Toward night, when heavier and blacker clouds obscured the sky, we determined to camp, and chose a point opposite a little tributary rivulet called Sandy Brook. That evening and the next day were passed complet- ing our camp equipage of tables, chairs, basins, and various little articles, and in waiting for the river to fall. During this time one of those pleasant incidents occurred that are intensely enjoyed in rough woodsman's life ; two gentlemen who had been up the river and were returning, stopped and dined with us. There was a grand discussion over flies, resulting in a mutual exchange, and a general mourning over the condition of the water, with, how 122 NEW BRUNSWICK. ever, the encouragement that the freshet had destroyed the nets and let the fish up to the higher grounds. Next day we killed our first fish of the season. I had goue above the island at the head of the pool opposite our camp, and was fishing slowly down, taking occasion- ally a brook trout, when there came a heavier rise, a louder plash, and a fierce run that made my reel discourse sweetly. The fish had struck me in the broken water, and it was uncertain what he was till suddenly he sprang twice his length out of water, showing the silvery sides and gleaming scales of the lovely grilse ; again and again he sprang in air, making the water fly as he fell back, and doing his best to break the line or shake out the hook. Bravely he fought, taking advantage of the current to run out line, and rubbing against rocks to cut it through. In vain, foiled at each attempt, his strength rapidly diminishing, he was slowly brought nearer and nearer, till a dexterous blow of the gaif finished the struggle. Joyful at the good omen, we hastened to our camp, and were met by my companion, Dalton, who proudly exhibited a similar trophy. There was a grand supper that night, and strong hopes that the flood would abate, hopes that were destined to a cruel disappointment when next day the stream was found to be higher than ever, and heavy clouds portended a second deluge. Our next camp was at Still Water Brook, a name that the present condition of that streamlet strongly belied. We did not, however, remain long, our sport being con- fined to grilse, and not many of those, and when an Eng- lish officer, who had been fishing above, called to say he NEW BRUNSWICK. 123 had taken all the fish he wanted at a station further on. we broke up camp at once, to the great disgust of our lazy cook, who thought he had cut his " sprunghungle," or stick that supports the kettle over the fire, for the last time. We pushed on to Burnt Hill, a famous camping- ground among all those that fish the Miramichi, and there, on the open point near the rock at whose base is the deep pool where salmon lie when the water is warm we established our sylvan home for the last time. Burnt Hill is so named from having been burnt over, years ago, and is still a mass of dead and blackened trunks, that tower in fantastic shapes toward the sky. Next morning, having selected my choicest cariboo fly, Abraham pushed the canoe across the boiling torrent, so that I could fish near the rocky shore opposite. Hav- ing made several casts toward the bank, he swung the canoe in, and, running its nose on a rock, gave me a chance to fish the centre of the channel. I had hardly cast, when from out the curling wave rushed a mighty monster, which gleamed a moment in the sunshine and disappeared. I felt a heavy, dull strain on my rod, the fish swam deep and seemed unconscious of what had happened. Then, suddenly aroused to his danger, a magnificent salmon rushed down-stream and vaulted high out of water. Abraham glanced at me ; I returned the look, but not one word was spoken. The fish returned to his former station, as though disdaining a struggle with a fragile cord and contemptible fly, and remained there some moments, heavily swimming round and round. Suddenly he became alarmed, and away he went, thirty yards at least, the line whistling through 124: NEW BRUNSWICK. the rings and the reel hissing with the speed. He made a splendid leap and paused. I had just time to tell Abraham to swing his boat off the rock where she was resting, when the fish started again. Down he darted ; the rod bent, the line flying through the water, and after him came the pursuers. He hesitated an instant above the worst rapids, and then sped down them ; once in a while I could see him amid the foam and flying spray, as he rolled himself half out of water over some heavy wave ; but my attention was occupied in keeping the line clear of rocks, and not exerting too much strain upon it. Admirably did Abraham handle the canoe. He was alone ; the water seethed and boiled round us broken into a mass of fierce waves, small cascades and gleaming foam. It poured with raging current over high bowlders, and swept be- tween narrow rocks. He stood erect in the stern, his eye taking the measure of every falls, the strength of every eddy ; he swung the canoe's head first one w x ay then another, easing her down over the higher waves, that, curling against the stream, broke over the bow in mimic showers, and pushing strongly through the circ- ling eddies. 'Not a rock did he touch, not a moment did the boat escape from perfect command, and when we were launched upon the quiet bosom of the deep pool at the foot of Burnt Hill Rapids, the fish was on the line. We each drew a long breath and again exchanged glances. It was a beautiful spot to kill a fish. The water, all white and raging above, formed a broad eddy, that washed the base of the rock on which I now stood. Although there was still a strong current in the centre. NEW BRUNSWICK. 125 an expanse of clear water spread out at our feet, into which, after each rush, the fish could be easily led, and where his macl leaps were the only risk. It was om first fish, and I exercised the utmost care; not^tiil he was almost dead did I force him to the surface, where Abraham, with one blow of his gaff, brought our prize to land. What a beauty she was ! The small, delicate head pronounced her a female, the destined parent of myriads cut off in her prime. The brilliancy of her flashing scales gave token that not long since had she been roam- ing free from danger along the shores of the seacoast, and her broad back and deep chest announced her heavy weight. Glorious in her outward appearance, our keen appetites pictured to our imaginations the rich red flesh in layers, with flakes of pearly fat between, the delicate thin sides of the stomach, the depth of solidity in her broad back. Our thoughts dwelt for a moment on the fine juicy flavor her fifteen good pounds would furnish for many a meal. But above all did we recollect with pride how well both of us had done in killing the first salmon in the Miramichi. Mr. Palton had been watching the contest from the bank opposite, and we returned together to the camp, where libations were duly poured forth in honor of our first capture, and preparations were made for a grand entertainment. That evening around the fire, after supper was finished, and the genial pipe was soothing as well as invigorating our minds, and after several personal adventures had been related, Duncan commenced the following history of 12# NEW BRUNSWICK. THE GHOST OF DEADMAn's LANDING. " You saw that point of land we came by the othei day, where I told you a dead man was carried out from the woods? Well, I was there when he was killed. We had been logging in the woods, and doing pretty well till we tried to draw out an uncommon heavy stick of timber. Sam Masters was with us — we used to call him Swearing Sam, from a bad habit he was given to — and Sam had taken a great idea to have that stick of timber taken out before night ; but the horses were tired and it was late, and after we had dragged it part of the way all but Sam proposed to leave it till to-morrow. But Sam insisted that he was not going to give up, and when we all agreed to quit, he got mad and swore he vould have that timber out alone if lie had to go to hell for it, and work till the day of judgment. We tried to persuade him off, but stay he would, and we left him with the horses and returned to our camp, which we had made at the landing. After supper was finished, and it began to be late, we became anxious about Sam, and when he did not arrive, at near midnight, all hands set out to look him up. " We had not much trouble to find the horses ; they felt cold and hungry, and were neighing for their supper, but were surprised to see the log rolled off the truck, and Sam gone. But the next thing we noticed was Sam's head just out from the edge of the log, that lay across his body. It was an awful sight ; the moon was shining bright on his face, that was turned up toward NEW BRUNSWICK. 127 the sky, but all swollen and discolored, with the eyes wide open and starting out of their sockets, and his tongue sticking out of his mouth, and the blood frozen round his nostrils and the corners of his lips. He musi have been dead for hours. We had a hard time to roll the log off, and then he was mashed all out of shape, so we carried him the best way we could to the shanty, and next day wrapped him in a blanket and took him down the river. His wife was all struck of a heap Avhen she saw him, for Sam was a good husband ; if he did swear more than he ought, he never swore at her." u He would have been squelched sooner if he had," put in Dalton, sotta voce. " "We felt pretty bad," continued Duncan; " but after a few days had to go back and finish hauling the logs, for we had a lot cut. It was cold weather, and the wind howled through the pines till sometimes, at night, we almost thought we heard hallooing in the woods, but no one cared to go out and see. About two weeks after our return, I happened to leave my axe where I was chop- ping, and as snow had begun to fall pretty fast, and it might be snowed over, I went back after it. I had forgotten precisely where it was left, and lost a good deal of time looking about, all the while the snow coming harder and harder, so that the track was soon covered. That was not much matter, for I knew the country well ; but it was growing dark, and the snow blinded me, so that I could not see plainly. " You may believe I did not delay any ; but after hur- rying on as fast as possible for an hour or two, thought things lc oked strange ; the trees grew thick and the 128 NEW BRUNSWICK. ground rough and steep, and I could not tell where 1 was. I searched about for some landmark, but it was almost dark, and after trying in vain, and having a heavy overcoat with me, but no matches, I was about to crawl under the roots of a dead tree and make the best of it, when I heard somebody shouting in the distance. " There is no mistake, but I was glad, and sung out back, and clambered over the trees and stones toward the voice ; but what was my surprise, on approaching, to see our own team, and one of the boys driving. They had no intention of hauling another log, and must have been foolish to think of it in that snow ; but, stranger than all, when I called, did not stop or take any notice. To tell the truth, I began to feel mighty queer, especially as the driver was shaped uncommon like Sam, and I suddenly remembered that it was that night a month ago when he hauled his last stick of timber. I followed slowly along and never said a word ; the driver, whoever he was, was riding on the log, and now and then his voice shouted out what sounded in the storm mighty like a curse. Suddenly the drag struck a stump, the horses made a spring, the log started, the driver tried to jump, but slipped, and the log fell on him with crushing force. There was an awful shriek in the next blast that drove a shower of snow in my eyes, and when 1 looked again, horses, log and man were gone. I knew well enough ieces. Be careful to get the troughs level crossways, and the strips true, so that when the water is running it will form an equal current over every part of each strip along the whole length of the trough. The length of time required to hatch out the eggs depends upon the temperature of the water. A general rule sufficiently accurate for all practical pur- poses is this : At fifty degrees trout eggs will hatch out in fifty days, each degree colder takes five days longer, and each degree warmer five days less. The difference, however, increasing as the temperature falls, and dimin- ishing as it rises. The best temperature for hatching is between thirty-five and forty-five degrees. PROPAGATION OF FISH. 251 After the eggs have lain in the water from fifty to sev- enty-five days, according to the temperature, the tront will begin to make their appearance, the egg appears to be endowed with life, and the motions of the trout inside "kicking" against the shell to force a way out can be plainly perceived without the use of a microscope. At length the trout forces his way through, head first or tail first, those that hatch head first always dying, however, and the useless shell floats away down stream. The trout is then about one-half inch long, and the body proper as thin as a needle ; the most prominent features being a pair of eyes, huge in comparison with the rest of the body, and a sac nearly as large as the egg. This sac is attached to the belly of the fish, and contains food, which the fish gradually absorbs. If the fish are hatched in fifty days, the sac lasts about thirty, if in seventy days, about forty- five. At this period of their lives they will work down into the crevices of the gravel and along the sides of the troughs and stay there, nature seeming to give them the instinct at this weak and defenceless period of their lives, when they are burdened with a load which they can hardly carry, to get out of sight and out of the way of harm. The most critical period in the life of a trout com- mences when the umbilical sac is absorbed. More, perhaps, die from the time they begin to feed until they are six months old, than at any other time. In consequence many different plans for nurseries have been suggested and used. The fry require a largely increased supply of water, but where only a moderate number is to be raised, in place of erecting other and wider troughs or boxes for nurseries, the better plan is to put only a few eggs, say 252 PROPAGATION OF FISH. five hundred, into each square or nest of the hatching trough. The square is then large enough with the water raised to keep the trout well for a month or two after they commence feeding, when they may be transferred into the first or upper pond. The fry are removed from the troughs into the pond by the use of a small net. Take them upon this, a few at a time, and put them into a pan of water ; they will swim off the net and you may draw it from under them. In the pan they may be carried, a thousand at a time, to the pond in which you wish to place them. Put them into still water ; they will settle down on the bottom and remain there for some hours, then they will begin to ex- plore their new quarters, and in a few days will become thoroughly habituated to the place. The best food for trout fry is raw liver, chopped as fine as possible, and then rubbed through a screen or sieve with a flat stick. It must be reduced to the consis- tency of pulp, and contain no strings or gristle. A chop- ping machine is made for chopping hash or sausage, and either that, or a couple of sharp knives are used to chop the liver. "What is used is mixed with water so as to re- duce it to about the thickness of cream. A teacupful of this mixture will feed a hundred thousand fish when they first begin to feed. The best way to feed them is to take a case-knife, dip it in the food and " slirt" off what adheres into the troughs ; a very simple way, but one ans- wering all practical purposes. Care should be taken not to feed too much, else the surplus food will remain on the bottom, and decaying there foul the trough. The reason of the difficulty in raising young fish appears to be that they are literally starved to death. The food which we PROPAGATION OF FISH. 253 can give them is not natural to them, it is often given in snch coarse pieces that they cannot take it, and sometimes, through the carelessness of a hired hand, they are neg- lected two or three days at a time. Young salmon, young salmon trout, California moun- tain trout, and above all young California salmon are larger, have stronger appetites, and will accept coarser food. For them, although at first the liver should be made as fine as for trout, when they are a few weeks old it will be hardly necessary to dilute it at all, and in the course of a few months they will not only take the larger pieces, often tearing them apart, but will scorn the finer portion. At one time sour milk was almost exclusively used for feeding young fish, but it has been given up. Other foods have been tried, but with no better success. The fish will not thrive on any of them as well as they do on liver, and do not thrive on that as well as if it were a natural food. Near the salt water, where soft clams can be obtained, they are used in place of liver. As they grow older, other things may be substituted or may be added to it as a change. They are fond of the roe of other fish, of the spawn of the horse-foot or king- crab ; of fish itself, and when they are large enough to eat minnows, no better food can be given them. Liver is too expensive when it has to be used alone for grown fish, and beef lights are usually added to it or used in place of it in a measure. It is miserable food, however, much of it passing through the stomachs of the trout and salmon wholly undigested and collecting in the bottom of the ponds. It injures the digestive organs and must be del- eterious to the health of the fish. Its only recommenda- tion is that it is cheap. Maggots are bred on spoilt meat, 254 PEOPAGATION OF FISH. hung over the ponds, and as they fall off and drop into the water are readily devoured, and make excellent food. Or a piece of spoilt meat may be placed in a deep bottle like a preserving bottle, and the flies that will collect in immense numbers during summer may be caught and emptied into the water. This trap will take many times its bulk of flies being kept set all the time and emptied when any one is passing it. Flies are probably the best food that can be given to trout. Shad eggs differ essentially from trout eggs and re- quire wholly different manipulation. They are much smaller and lighter. If a trout or salmon egg is dropped into water it sinks at once to the bottom, but a shad egg will almost float, and has but little more specific gravity that the water itself. Shad eggs are less than half the size of trout eggs, and require as their best condition for hatching a temperature of from sixty-five to seventy-five degrees. They will hatch at a lower temperature, but in such cases mature slowly, while eighty degrees of heat is as much as they can endure. When experiments were first made in their artificial propagation, they were placed in ordinary trout troughs, and much trouble was found in their management. If a current of water was turned on to the same extent as with trout, they all washed over the end of the troughs, while if the supply was diminish- ed so that they retained their places, they died of suffo- cation. It was only after many different devices had been tried that the proper invention was discovered — a simple box with the bottom knocked out and replaced by a wire gauze netting. This box is suspended by floats of wood nailed on the sides, so that the bottom is presented at an angle to the current, the degree of inclination being PKOPAGATION OF FISH. 255 determined by the velocity of the current. The water striking against the screen enters the minnte interstices, and lifting the eggs, keeps them in gentle motion like the bubbles of air in a pot of moderately boiling water. All that is necessary is to attach these boxes one behind the other in a long row, anchor them in the river, and fill them with impregnated spawn, and the work is done. The continuous motion of the water passing around each egg and holding it suspended, aerates it perfectly and makes its hatching a certainty. Hardly one per cent, of healthy eggs fail to hatch, and while the process is go- ing on hardly any care or attention is required. Fish and eels cannot enter the boxes to prey, nor can the eggs be driven out by the water, and lost. In the artificial manipulation of shad the parents are taken in seines from their spawning beds. The haul is made at night, at which time only can ripe fish be found in any considerable number. The captured fish are thrown indiscriminately into a boat and are stripped at once as they die quickly. They are afterwards sold in the markets. The eggs, which are caught in a pan with a little water in it, after being allowed to stand for a few minutes until impregnation is complete, which is sig- nified by their swelling in size and reducing the tempera- ture of the water some ten degrees, are poured into the hatching boxes and left to themselves. Nothing more is required. In twenty-four hours the black eyes of the young fry will be visible through the shell, and in from three to ten days they will be hatched. Black bass is one of the most prolific varieties of our fresh-water fish. Their natural increase is so great and their growth so rapid, that it has never been an object to 256 PROPAGATION OF FISH. fish culturists to attempt their artificial propagation. When the spawning season draws near, they select, guid- ed by natural instinct, with great care for the purpose of propagation, certain portions of the river having a pebbly or gravelly bottom. From these they remove carefully all sediment, weeds, and sticks. This work completed, leaves a clear bright space in the bottom of the river, circular in form, and having a diameter of about three feet. These beds are readily distinguished by the casual observer from the ordinary bottom of the river by their brightness, the gravel having the appearance of being washed or scoured. "When the parent fish are ready to spawn, the female goes upon this prepared bed and de- posits her spawn in a glutinous band or ribbon, running in various directions across the bed. She is followed by the male who impregnates the eggs by the expression of his milt. Their care of the young (the exercise of which is pecu- liar to the bass, sunfish, and catfish), taken in connection with the fact that a large pair of bass will dej)osit twenty thousand eggs, will give some idea of their fertility. Possibly the fish are capable of reproduction when two years old, having at that time attained the extraordinary length of eight or nine inches, but this is mere conjec- ture, based more particularly upon our knowledge of the size and weight of the fish at that age. They frequently attain the weight of five and six pounds ; in rare instances seven and eight. They are unsurpassed in flavor by any of the perch family. The black bass loves bright, pure, lively water, not as cold as the trout streams of our spring-producing hills and mountains, but free from foul matters held suspended PEOPAGATION OF FISH. 257 in it, and with, motion either of current or from the winds. It deposits its eggs on rocky or pebbly ledges. The parents guard and protect their nests till the young are hatched, and even watch over the latter till they can take care of themselves. The fish generally selected for transfer are from one to three years old, measuring from three to twelve inches in length. Fish of this size are not only more numerous, but they bear transportation better, and are more readily acclimated than when larger. They are moved with a great deal of difficulty in hot weather, especially when the journey requires more than twelve or fifteen hours ; but with care and skill no serious loss need take place. The implements of the fish-culturist are few and simple. A few feathers may be kept on hand to use in spreading the eggs when placing them in the troughs, in collecting them for packing, and moving them in the search after dead eggs. Nippers made of wire or some elastic wood, like red cedar, bent or cut into the shape of the letter U, elongated to about six inches, and with loops of wire at the ends about the eighth of an inch wide, will hold an egg without trouble. A small homoeopathic phial is used to examine the eggs. The manner of its use is, to fill it with water, put in the eggs to be examined, cork it, hold it up before the window in a horizontal position, and with your microscope look up through the side of the phial. This brings the egg which lies at the bottom of the glass within the focus of the microscope, and the water does not distort its shape. The microscope need not be very strong ; one magnifying eight or ten diameters is amply sufficient. A small net will be of use in remov- ing the young fish and any refuse in the water from the 258 PROPAGATION OF FISH. troughs ; it should be about six inches in diameter, in the shape of the letter D, with the handle on the middle of the bend. It is very easily made by bending a wire in the desired shape, and twisting the two ends together for a handle. Thin gauze of some kind, like bobinet, should be spread over the wire so tightly that the middle of the net shall hang only a half inch below the level. An iron spoon, well tinned or silvered, is used to remove the eggs. Some six-quart tin milk-pans will be necessary, for a variety of purposes. Eggs may be counted most easily by measuring them. For this purpose take any small glass, such as a very small tumbler, for instance, count out five hundred or a thousand eggs, and with a file make a mark upon the glass as high as they reach, and the measure is always ready to your hand. A watering pot with a fine rose spout is used to wash sediment from the eggs on the sieves, and a broom of twigs is used to brush the screens of wire. One of the most curious and interesting results of fish- culture has been the production of hybrids, some of which were reproductive and have thus created new species. Strange as it may seem, these experiments have rarely been wholly abortive ; no matter how dissimilar the fam- ilies, the eggs have been impregnated often to a large per- centage, and have hatched. The following varieties have been crossed : FEMALE. MALE. Salmon-trout with White-fish. *' " " Brook-trout. Brook-trout " Fresh-water Herring. 11 " " California Salmon. " " " " Mountain-trout. Shad " Striped Bass. " " Herring. PROPAGATION OF FISH. 259 It is observable of all hybrids that they are shy and wild; more so usually than either of their parents, and that in appearance they favor their larger parent. The cross between the brook-trout and lake-trout has been repeated from year to year, till fish which are one-eighth salmon-trout and seven-eighths brook-trout have been produced which it is hoped will have the size and tough- ness of the mother, with the beauty and gameness of the father. These experiments commenced with a cross of the brook-trout and California salmon, which had an interest- ing and instructive termination, and prepared the way by its failure for subsequent successes. In September, 1879, the young of the brook-trout and California salmon were seen to be maturing their eggs. This was the first time in the history of fish culture that hy- brids gave evidence of breeding. It is asserted that among animals, mules are occasionally known to produce young, but this is a most unusual exception to a general rule. No more was expected from the experiments in crossing^ va- rieties than the production of combinations which might be valuable in themselves, like the capons among fowls, or the mules among draught animals, but which must of necessity be purely ephemeral, and perishing with the lives of the individuals. But when these hybrid trout- salmon were opened and found to contain eggs quite large and well forward in maturity, it seemed possible that new species might be created and made permament. The eggs were already larger than the mature eggs of the trout, although it was then early in the season, and seem- ed perfectly healthy. As time passed the parents were watched with care, and were soon seen to be going into 260 PROPAGATION OF FISH. the spawning-race. They apparently made all their prep- arations for spawning, began digging their nests, stayed about them, and proceeded in the regular way, except that they were never in pairs, but always single. This was not natural, and led to a careful examination of them individually. After examining some fifty out of the sixty, the conclusion was reached that they were all fe- males, which eventually turned out to be the case. This was in the latter part of November, IS 79. Some dozen male brook-trout were then placed among the hybrids, to see if they would induce the latter to spawn. Everything soon appeared favorable for this result, the trout paired with the trout-salmon, they entered the race-way together, and occupied themselves with parental duties, but no re- sults were perceived. For some reason the spawn was not deposited. Then some of the fish were selected to be stripped by hand, and were found to be ripe, but the eggs were all crushed in passing from them. The vent of the ovaries or ovaduct was too small to allow the eggs, which had delicate shells, to pass. Attempts were then made to enlarge the vent, and some thousands of eggs were finally obtained in this way uninjured. To impreg- nate these the milt of the male trout was used. The par- ent fish were left in their pond and seemed to be uneasy. They were doubtless incommoded by the eggs which they could not pass, and moved about slowly with their heads towards the bottom, their tails upward, and their bodies at an angle to the surface. The eggs which it was hoped might be impregnated by hand, were retained until Jan- uary 25, 1880, when it was found they were unimpreg- nated and dead, and they were thrown away. Thus two extraordinary facts were ascertained, one that PROPAGATION OF FISH. • 261 the eggs may be too large for extrusion in case the male parent is the larger variety of fish, and the other that the entire body of one hatching may be of a single sex as in this case when all were females, and in the case of the shad and herring in the Hudson River, which are all said to be males. It was on these two discoveries that subsequent improvements were founded. It is not yet positively determined that these cross-breeds will pro- create their species in a natural way, nor even that they will be the improvement, which has been hoped, but that they can be bred artificially there is no further doubt. An indirect result of fish-culture has been the intro- duction of foreign fish into home waters. The German carp has been brought to America, and has increased and multiplied vastly, and been found well adapted to certain waters, which are not valuable for finer fish. In dull, muddy, small ponds, they have not only lived, but they have grown to a remarkable size. We have also received some German trout, which hatched and grew well, and which promise finely for the future. Then we have sent our black-bass to Europe as well as our trout, the Califor- nia trout and salmon. We have acclimated in California the Eastern shad, and imported from California the trout and salmon of that country. This interchange has been mutually advantageous and promises to be much more so in the future. The results of fish-culture have indeed far exceeded the most sanguine hopes of those who first took it up, and at present there seem to be no limits to its ben- eficial effects. The time will surely come when the streams, which have been so long utterly depopulated of their natural inhabitants will once more be restocked and yield as abundantly as ever. This has already happened 262 • PROPAGATION OP FISH. with the Connecticut River, which from having been al- most exhausted, has been so succesfully restocked that it produced in one year more shad than had ever been caught from it since records had been kept. The Hudson River had been also rendered nearly worthless as a shad river when fish-culture was first applied to it, the nets were be- ing taken up and the fisheries abandoned, the price of even small shad had risen so as to exclude them from all but the tables of the rich, whereas now the yield is nearly as numerous as ever, and much larger fish are taken. So while neglected Southern rivers are exhausted, the North- ern ones are being replenished. The same will follow with the fresh waters. If the trout brooks have become too warm from the destruction of the forests, other varieties, such perhaps as the California trout will be substituted. There are millions of just such streams and ponds, which are now nearly valueless^ but which could be made quite as valuable as the same amount of land. These will yet all be replenished till the streams and ponds will come to be regarded as the most valuable part of the farm or country place, and millions of property will be added to the wealth of the country.* * For thorough instruction in the details of the artificial cultivation of all varie- ties of fish, the reader is referred to a work entitled " Fish Hatching and Fish Catching" written by Seth Green and Robert B. Roosevelt which exhausts the en« tire subject. FLIES. FLIES AND KNOTS. 263 CHAPTER XXVII. FLIES AND KNOTS. It is generally considered that fly-making cannot be taught by written instruction, but this depends some- what on the intelligence of the scholar, who must not undertake to conceive the result before he has waxed his thread, but should be content to follow the directions word by word. At all events there is something that the experienced, and an immense deal that the partially instructed beginner may add to his store of knowledge, and if the following directions will not make a novice perfect, they may aid him when he has had a few per- sonal lessons. To tie a fly, the gut should be singed in a candle or bitten at one end, and the hook and thread waxed to insure the hook's not coming off, which, when a fine fish has it in his mouth, is a heart-rending casualty. Take a few turns with the thread on the shank of the bare hook, nearly to the head, then applying the gut, whip it firmly on by working back to the bend ; under the last turns at the bend insert whisks for the tail dub- bing, floss or herl fpr the body, and tinsel if desired. The floss, silk and dubbing are generally spun or twisted in with the thread, and then wound back toward the shoulder, but they may be wound on before, with, or after the thread. Care must be taken that the turns 264 FLIES AND KNOTS. at the bend be firm, and when the material is earned back, the body is finished with a couple of turns of the silk, a hackle is then introduced under them and firmly ly secured. "Wind the hackle round the hook at the place where it is inserted, and when it is sufficiently thick, and the fibres which constitute the legs stand out well, tie it down. Prepare your wings by stripping off the requisite number of fibres, and tie them on, either single or divided, and finish off. To make a buzz-fly, that is, one with the hackles the whole length of the body instead of only at the shoulder, insert a hackle at the bend at the same time with the body and tail, and twist it round the body after that is put on, and fasten it at the shoulder. The wings are sometimes laid on point- ing up the shank, and afterward bent down and brought in their places. And thus, if any one desires, he may make a fly. Few people in this stage of civilization dress their own trout flies, and although skill in the art will enable you to make a better selection in your purchases, it is rarely useful at the riverside. The better plan is to have a great variety, keep them safe from moths by the use of a linen bag, and fish often enough to prevent the gut's decaying. I have flies that have been in my possession for fifteen years, and yet seem to be as good as ever. You would require a knapsack to keep all the articles requisite to dress every fly, and would waste half your day in the operation. ISTor is it yet settled that by imitating the natural insect you gain any advantage ; one half the most skillful fishermen assert that the fly, as for instance, the scarlet ibis, need resemble nothing on earth, or in the FLIES AND KNOTS. 265 waters under the earth, and that the sharp-sighted fish are never deceived by thinking ours the natural insect, bui take him for some new and undescribed species. As for myself, to use the quaint language of the editor of the " Knickerbocker," " sometimes I think so, and then again I don't, but mostly 1 do." On certain occasions it would seem that the closer the imitation the better, on others the less the similarity the greater the success. Upon this question my friends stand like the hackle on a well- dressed fly, " every which way." At any rate, it is no time to be dubbing when you ought to be fishing, and if you cast a long line and a light fly and the fish will not rise, you may be sure they will not. The various flies that appear upon the surface of the numerous and varying waters of our country, from the borders of Mexico to the confines of Labrador, would fur- nish the subject for an instructive and interesting work. The natural flies, whether hatched from the caddis at the bottom of the streams, or from the burrows in the ground, or the knots on the limbs, or the cocoons amid the leaves of trees, are more numerous than those of any European country. As a class, they are larger, the ephemerae especially, and although often found to be similar in general appearance, furnish many species unknown there. They have never been properly de- scribed and classified, and no satisfactory work has been written, at all thorough and reliable, in which an attempt is made to record their nature and habits. Many of them do not return every year, but seem to require several seasons to mature, and the earliest fly of one season may not be that of another. Every observant 266 rLIES AND KN0TS - fisherman lias noticed flies at one time that he may not see again for a long period, and has found his imitations of them perfectly useless. The first tree that puts forth leaves in the spring is the maple, and its buds are a bright scarlet. As they drop into and are swept along the surface of the water by the wind, the fish seize them, no doubt either decoyed by their appearance or attracted by insects that may be con- cealed upon or within them. The scarlet ibis resembles these buds nearer than any other known thing, and is probably mistaken by the fish for them. When commencing this work, it had been my inten- tion not only to describe the artificial flies in general request, but to give the habits, periods and names of the natural ones of which they were imitations, without which latter information the former would have been far from complete. But the obstacles in my way were so numerous, the confusion existing as to names, localities, and times of appearance was so utter, the difficulty of finding any satisfactory work on the natural insects so great, that I was almost in despair ; on the point, how- ever, of making the attempt, rash aa it appeared, I was informed that the matter had been undertaken by a friend of mine, who is every way equal to the task. Although much relieved, there was still something to be done to give a general idea of the flies in use with us. On this subject, the only work existing of any value is the sup- plement to Frank Forester's " Fish and Fishing," written by a gentleman who is a thorough sportsman, and along- side of whom I have often had the pleasure of casting the fly. The directions in the body of that work itself, FLIES AND KNOTS. 267 liko many other parts of it, are copied from the English writers, and in our waters are utterly valueless. The author, although a splendid sportsman, was not as an angler acquainted with our trout streams and ponds, and the contributor of the supplement judged rather too exclusively from his experience on Long Island. The first and most striking difference to be observed between the systems of the two countries is in the com- parative size of the flies, those of America, following the natural insect, being larger, and, probably for a similar reason, gaudier. It is a remarkable fact that the most gaudy of all, the scarlet ibis, is prominently successful alone in the streams of Long Island and of the British Provinces. As many of the Long Island trout yearly migrate to the sea, in which peculiarity they resemble the fish of the latter place, it may be that this fly is only a favorite with sea-going fish. A little tinsel wound round the body is supposed to improve its efficiency, as some fishermen suggest from a resemblance to the prin- cipal "Winter food of the trout, the salt water minnow. The earliest fly on the Long Island ponds is a dark water fly, with a brownish red body and legs, and black, filmy, transparent wings. It is rather large, is wafted along upon and occasionally rises from the water, and never appears in any considerable numbers. It is usually represented by the English or female cow-dung, which, although not similar in coloring, presents somewhat the same general appearance. The wings, being transparent, should not be imitated with a black feather, although I have had great success when these flies were on the water with a fly that had black wings and a claret body and 268 FLIES AND KNOTS. legs. The orange dim, with a body tinged with brown, would be a good imitation. The next natural fly, which is smaller than the last, is of a greenish yellow, and is also caricatured by the cow- dung. But it is decidedly recommended to make a more faithful copy, which the writer has done with eminent success. In speaking of this matter, it is important to add that the midges, such as the black gnat and others, are out earlier, and it is to the larger flies alone that reference is made. The earliest of the species mentioned appears in ordinary seasons about the first of March, and the next about a week later. At this period, and at all periods, of a bright day a large black gnat with black hackle, black or dark blue body, silver tinsel at the tail, and dark wings, is usually successful. Shortly after the greenish fly, come many others, appearing almost together, and among them the cow- dung and the yellow sally, the latter occasionally fairly covering the water. About this time the professor an swers well, although I have never discovered its proto- type, if it has any, and shortly afterward an unimitated brown fly, together with the blue blow and cinnamon, and in warm weather innumerable others. In the latter part of April and early part of May, the bushes and streams are alive with the gay little beauties, of every color, size and shape, and the fish make them their principal food. But the waters are growing clear, the deception is becom- ing apparent to the fish's eye, and the insects, though in reality larger, must have more delicate substitutes. At such times a small red bodied fly, with dun wings, has proved extremely killing, and although large, white, FLIES AND KNOTS. 269 gelatinous ephemerae swim upon the water, the midges are on quiet days the most successful ; and when the sky is bright, subdued colors are in principal demand. In June there are prominent, among many others, the black fly, with body, wings, legs and antennae all of the same sable hue, busy the entire day dancing over the water a veritable dance of death, for it is often terminat- ed by the fatal rush of the watchful trout ; a dun fly, with greyish dun mottled wings, grey legs, and light green body ; another fly with similar wings, but red legs, and a rich brown body — none of these having any whisks in their tails ; another beautiful and delicate yel- low fly, that appears generally in the morning and eve- ning, and flies heavily and slowly from place to place, till it falls suddenly, and is forever submerged in the cruel waters. Its legs, body and wings are yellow, the latter being the palest, and it has two short whisks and antennae of the same color. All the foregoing have four wings, in the black and yellow varieties strongly reticu- lated, and all but the last swim well under water. Tow- ard night a frail whitish fly makes its appearance still more fragile than its yellow compeer ; it has two wings, a thick body and long whisks. The eyes of the yellow and white fly are black spots, and although I never have done much with a white fly, a small yellowish drake was successful when the yellow flies were abundant. A bet- ter imitation however could be made of pure yellow. On one occasion I was struck with the fact that although I did not know these insects were on the water, my only successful flies were a yellowish fly, a green- bodied, dun winged fly, and a similar fly with a brown 270 FLIES AND KNOTS. body, and I hit on them accidentally after trying a great variety. Hackles, in our Long Island ponds, are, by universal testimony, a failure, and the palmers worthless; and throughout the breadth and length of our country, the winged flies are vastly preferable. The hackles and palmers are intended to represent the caterpillars, which our fish very sensibly ignore alongside of the innumer- able beautiful, delicate and gaudy flies,, and which under no circumstances are found except in the fresh-water brooks. Through all the early Spring, the stomachs of the trout will be found filled with the shells of the caddis, and these, if they could be obtained, would doubtless be a killing bait. Fortunately they cannot be, and are not to my knowledge used here at all. In our mountain streams the fish are generally extremely numerous, though small, and will eagerly seize any fly presented to them, vying with one another to be first. The following is a good assortment, and will, in addition to those already mentioned, be sufficient for all waters : The alder-fly, English partridge hackle, hackles of all colors, red and black ants, the devil-fly with a yellow body, the tail of one red and one black whisk, black hackles and red and black wings, dark mackerel, red spinner, English blue jay, fern-fly, orange dun, the camlets of various colors, grey, dun and black nidges, the coachman, the stone-fly, the May-flies, millers for night-work, the sand-fly, the various other duns, the turkey brown, and a large light grey fly. As each maker employs different colors and feathers for the same fly, these descriptions are rather indefinite • FLIES AND KNOTS. 271 but by taking a number of various shades, you can rea- dily select the most effective. The well-known flies should be dressed after Ronalds as far as practicable. It is to be regretted that there is not more uniformity and pride n, or practical acquaintance with, the subject among our principal tackle-makers. With the English makers it has always been an especial care that their flies should be dressed well and with uniformity ; but here, anything that can be palmed off on an ignorant or indulgent pub- lic, or a barbarous country trade, is all that is desired. It is better always to send a pattern, with instructions to copy it precisely, and that no originality of variation will be permitted. Then, and then only, can you obtain what you wish. So much for trout-flies. To make a salmon-fly, the following additional direc- tions, most of which apply equally to carefully made trout-flies, will be found convenient. Tie on the gut as before directed ; upon reaching the bend, fasten the spring pliers on to the thread, and do not take them off till the fly is finished. Take two turns with the silk over a strip of tinsel, pass the latter several times round the hook to form the tag, fasten it with the silk and cut it off; introduce the floss for the tip, take several turns evenly, tie it down and cut off the end ; introduce the tail and then a piece of herl, wind the herl at the root of the tail and fasten it ; take in a new piece of tinsel and a hackle by rubbing back all the fibres but a few at the point; leave both pointing from the head. Take a small piece of mohair between your fingers, break it over and over again into small pieces, lengthen it out and twist it round the silk toward the left, as otherwise it will s»7-> "FLIES AND KNOTS. unlay in winding; wind the silk and mohair together round the shank to the shoulder, leave a space of bare hook sufficient for the wings. Wind in loose coils first the tinsel and then the hackle, and fasten both at the shoulder. Strip two wings from feathers that have been taken from the opposite sides of the bird, place them together, hold them firmly on the hook with the left forefinger and thumb, and fasten them securely. Cut off the ends, insert a piece of herl, wind it over the head and tie it down. Lay the end of the silk back down the shank, and take three turns with the other part over silk, hook and gut ; pass the gut end through the loop three times and draw the silk tight. Two turns of silk should hold the different parts during the entire operation, and a couple of half hitches under the wings at the shoulders are sometimes used to fasten off. The feathers should be mated to make neat wings, and if they are laid right side out they will close round the hook ; if otherwise, they will stand out. Do not fail to varnish at the head with wood varnish, or some other kind that will dry rapidly. The hackle may be intro- duced at the shoulder. Where herl or floss is used for the body, it is wound on separately from the tying silk, which is sometimes passed in loose coils afterward. A second hackle of a different color, or a feather wound like a hackle, may be introduced after the first, or after the wings and before the head is finished, and is called the legs. The wings must be tied above the dubbing on the hook, or they are liable to turn, especially where floss silk is used for the body. The following is a list of Canadian salmon flies, copied FLIES AND KNOTS. 273 from the work on Salmon Fishing in the Provinces, edited by Colonel Alexander, supposed to be by Dr. Adamson, with two of my own added ; the latter having been furnished by a friend of extended experience, are warranted excellent : No. 1. Louise. — An extremely beautiful fly, having wings conrposed of the golden pheasant's top-knot, breast feather and tail, with sprigs from the green parrot, blue macaw and kingfisher; the body is of fiery brown mo- hair, with gold twist; the head of orange mohair; the tail, a single feather from the golden pheasant's top-knot ; reddish-brown hackle and jay legs. No. 2. Edwin. — A much simpler fly and often equally efficacious among the fins, the wings being composed of the golden pheasant's tail feather with a dash of yellow macaw ; the body, yellow mohair ; ribs, of black silk ; head, black mohair; tail, golden pheasant's top-knot; hackle, yellow ; and scarlet silk tip. No. 3. Forsyth. — Wings of the yellow macaw, with a slight dash of mallard wings at each side ; yellow mohair body, with black ribs ; head, black ; tail, golden phea- sant's top-knot ; hackle, yellow, with light blue silk tip. No. 4. Stephens. — "Wings of golden pheasant's breast feather, with slight mixture of mallard ; body of reddish brick-colored silk, gold twist ; head, black ostrich ; tail, golden pheasant's top-knot; hackle, red, to match the body ; tip, blue silk. No. 5. Eoss. — Wings of mallard and peacock's herl; body, cinnamon-colored silk, gold twist ; no head ; tail, green parrot ; red and black hackles and black tip. No. 6. The Parson. — This is a beautiful and efficient 12 274 FLIES AXD KXOTS. fly. The wings are mixed, and very similar to 1hose of No. 1, but have a slight mixture of wood duck in them ; the body is of very dark claret silk, with gold twist; head, black ostrich; tail, golden pheasant's top-knot; hackle dark claret ; legs, blue, with a tip of yellow and gola No. 7. Stkachan. — Mixed wings, chiefly of golden pheasant's tail, yellow macaw and jay's wing ; body of crimson silk w T ith gold twist ; head, black ostrich ; tail, golden pheasant ; black hackle, with jay's wing legs ; tip, yellow and gold. No. 8. Langevin. — Wings, body, tail, hackle, legs, tip all yellow, made of the dyed feathers of the white goose ; the head of black ostrich, and the twist of black silk. No. 9. Whitciiee. — Mixed wings, of mallard and hooded merganser, the latter being like the teal wing, only more of a yellowish green, or the tail of the golden pheasant may be used ; head, black ostrich herl ; black hackle and black mohair body, with a thin rib of silver ; tip, yellow silk ; and tail from the top-knot of the golden pheasant. No. 10. Grey Fly. — Mixed wings, of mallard, tur- key, golden pheasant's neck and top-knot, and sprigs of blue macaw ; head of black ostrich heel ; legs, carmine ; grey hackle ; body of a grey mohair, with silver ribs, and tip of silver and deep orange silk ; tail, mixed grey mal- lard and tail of the golden pheasant. It will be observed that the foregoing are not imita- tions of any natural insect, but merely fanciful combina- tions of beautiful colors. The more harmonious the tints the finer the effect. Some of them are gay flies, gaudiei FLIES AND KNOTS. 275 than I should recommend ; modest colors suit the sal- mon as they do the ladies of our country. For the rivers of New Brunswick more particularly, I would add the following, requesting the reader to bear in mind that larger and more brilliant flies are permitted among the rougher waters and heavier fish of the Canadas. No. 11. Nicholson. — Wings mallard with sprigs of blue macaw ; body, blood-red mohair, head of black ostrich herl ; hackles, one blood reel and one dark blue wound on together ; gold ribs and tip ; tail, mallard and golden pheasant neck. This is one of the best flies ever cast on the Miramichi or Nipisiquit, and is simple and inexpensive. No. 12. Chamberlain. — Turkey wing, the lighter and darker fibres mixed, or turkey and mallard ; head, black ostrich herl ; orange mohair body and hackle, yellow legs, silver or gold ribs and tip and black silk twist ; tail of golden pheasant top-knot. No 13. Darling. — Wings of turkey and golden phea- sant neck feather and sprigs of blue macaw ; head, black ostrich ; hackles, black along the stem, but with reddish ends ; tip, orange silk ; tail, golden pheasant top-knot ; thin gold ribs and tag and black mohair body. No. 14. Major. — Wings of mallard and turkey with sprigs of blue macaw ; head ; claret herl ; light red hackle, and orange legs ; body, deep purple mohair; tip, blue silk : tail, golden pheasant neck feathers ; ribs and tag gold tinsel. No. 15. Captain. — Wings of turkey and golden phea- sant tail and neck feathers and sprigs of blue macaw : head claret herl ; red hackle ; body, claret mohair ; tip 276 FLIES AND KNOTS. orange silk ; silver tag, gold ribs, and tail of golden pheasant top-knot. !No. 16. Cariboo. — Wings of turkey and mallard with sprigs of macaw, and a few fibres from the golden phea- sant's neck ; head of black ostrich herl ; claret legs ; grey hackle ; body of grey cariboo hair or mohair ; lowei part of tip golden yellow silk, and upper part black silk ; tail, golden pheasant top-knot, and gold tag. This fly, with various modifications, is extensively used by the resident fishermen of Fredericton. No. 17. Emmet. — JSTo head ; wings of black and golden pheasant neck feather with sprigs of macaw ; body, black mohair ; black hackle ; gold tip and twist ; a turn of black herl taken just above the tail, which is golden pheasant crest. No. 18. Lillie. — Wings and tail dark grey turkey ; body, mohair of the same dull color ; yellow silk tip ; red hackle, and no head. This is almost identical with the stone fly, and approximates in color to the natural fly, and is generally dressed on a small hook. There is no limit to the list of salmon flies that might be given ; artistic beauty is a great point to be gained, but further than that nothing is positively ascertained on the subject. I was once visiting a well known salmon river with fifty dozen flies loaned to me by an excellent angler who was one of the oldest habitues of the stream. Another excellent fisherman looked over my books with an unapproving air, and after my return tolcl me that he was surprised I had taken any fish at all, for my flies were totally unsuited to the river. It is, however, gene- rally conceded that different waters require different FLIES AND KNOTS. 277 flies, and those in vogue in Canada are much gayer than those of ]N"ew Brunswick. In Great Britain it was once the custom, as it still is in Wales, to use sombre colors ; in England and Ireland the gayest are now the rage ; per- haps it will be the same here, and in the end we-may find that handsome, gaudy featheis answer best. The turkey wing is of various colors, but where no other specific direction is given, the common mixture of black and brown is intended. Some sportsmen pretend to assimilate their flies to the sand-lance, others to the shrimp ; as the salmon obtain neither in fresh water, there is little to choose between, the plans. As will be seen, therefore, from the foregoing, salmon flies are much more complicated than trout flies, and require more skill in their manufacture. The wings are ordinarily made of numerous fibres, frequently of dis- tinct feathers, which are fastened separately upon one another, and usiially called toppings. The hook is often first tied securely with thick silk and then varnished, while a small loop instead of a length of gut is used. This is allowed to dry, and finer silk, usually the color of the intended fly, is employed to tie the feathers. Occasional fastenings may be made by taking a hitch over the whole, and varnish is applied, especially at the head and tail. After the hook is tied on, the silk is made fast at the bend, where the tinsel, the whisks, the body and the hackle are inserted ; the latter may, however, be introduced after several turns have been taken with the body, and the body may be divided into sections of various colors, in a manner that the least practice will render easy. 278 FLIES AN1) KNOTS. It is no small matter to give a list of the requisite fly- making materials, but the following are a few of the most important : Silk of various colors, wax, nippers, scissors, a bench vice, picker, spring pliers, varnish, hooks and gut, tinsel of gold and silver, twisted and plain ; hackles of all colors, feathers of the mallard, teal, w r oodcock, golden, silver and argus pheasants, turkey, macaws, curlew, ruffed grouse, ibis, blue-jay, black-bird, fresh water rail, guinea fowl, common chicken, and any and all other birds that may come in the angler's way ; dubbings of mohair, pig's hair, wool, seal's far, rat's, mole's and squir- rel's fur ; floss silk of all colors, and peacock's and ostrich lierl. Dyed feathers had better be purchased of the tackle makers, and should include blue, purple, orange, yellow, brown, green, crimson and scarlet hackles, and yellow wing feathers. There is a Limerick hook now made with the shank turned over so as to form a loop into which the gut is inserted and the trouble of tying the gut is avoided. They have come into general use among the Irish and Scotch fishermen, and are a great aid to the man that ties his own flies. The gut in ordinary fly fishing wears out just above the hook, a difficulty that is entirely removed by this improvement, and it is by no means so ugly or ungainly as might be supposed. This is no new discovery, but has been practised with common Ameri- ican hooks for a considerable period, and might be advantageously used in many kinds of fishing, and ap- plied to all hooks. Hooks are numbered in the most singular manner, nc FLIES AND KNOTS. 279 two makers agreeing, and some indulging in remarkable eccentricities. But as Limerick hooks are generally used for fly-making, the numbers 2, 1, 1^, and 2 / will include all that is requisite. No. 1J- is my favorite for ordinary purposes, but a few % may be desirable in heavy water, with an occasional monster for foaming rapids. The charges for dressing trout flies in this country are exorbitant, whereas in England they can be purchased of the best makers at from seventy-five cents to a dollar and a half per dozen ; we are charged from a dollar and a half to three dollars, and generally furnished an inferior article. There is an abominable article of wholesale traffic sold for fifty cents a dozen, that is beneath any sportsman's notice. I have imported a great many, but it is a troublesome operation, and the best way is to bear the imposition meekly. The English and Irish salmon flies are, on the con- trary, expensive ; a great deal of the neck and top-knot of the golden pheasant and of the wings of the blue-jay is employed, birds which cost from ten to twenty-five dollars a piece, and which only furnish twenty to thirty pairs of each kind of feathers. The use, therefore, of several long crest and neck feathers at fifty cents a pair in the wing, and five or six from the top-knot for the tail, besides other expensive materials and the employ- ment of the best workmanship, will make a fly dear at the original cost. Blacker, the great English rod and fly maker, has been paid two guineas apiece for his finest. The reader may console himself by remembering that salmon were taken with the fly before the golden 280 FLIES AND KNOTS. pheasant was heard of as one of the indispensable ingre clients. A little practice will enable the angler to make flies himself, and add to his sport the consciousness of invention. Except in that way, and except for salmon fishing, the sportsmen of our country have no time to waste tying flies. The regular shops charge a heavy profit over the amount paid the workman, and if the purchaser is capa- ble of telling a good fly, the best plan is to go direct to the latter, explain what is wanted, and show an interest in the proceeding. A half dozen of each of the fore- going specimens, firmly fastened on strong, round, even gut, will last two months' daily salmon fishing in well- stocked streams. An average loss of four or five a day would be by no means surprising, although a single one might kill a great many fine fish. Hooks are apt to be broken at the bend by striking against a rock, from care- lessness, or the awkward handling of too long a line. If you find a hook broken in that way, lay it primarily to this cause, and watch the sweep of your cast. After the fly is made, tying it on to the leader and the leader to the line is an important matter, and as it is always desirable to put the right knot in the right place, the following directions may do something toward ena- bling one to effect that object, and after a little practice will be found entirely intelligible. The gut lengths of the droppers should be short, to prevent their fouling round the leader. No. 1 and No. 2 are both good ties to fasten the leader to the line. No. 3 is a becket-hitch, and No. 4 a double becket-hitch. No. 5 is a single water knot. KNOTS. 281 282 FLlES AND KNOTS. No. 6 is a double water knot. The latter are used foi tying lengths of gut together. But recollect that before a knot is made in gut it must be wet, and had better be soaked for some time in warm water. In using the double knot, the ends need not be whipped down. No. 7 shows how a dandy fastens his droppers to the leader. No. 8 shows how a lazy man does the same thing. No. 10 is a reef, or square knot. No. 11 is a granny knot, and you had better not knot that knot as a reef knot at sea. The former never slips, and yet never jams ; the latter always slips and always jams. No. 12 is a bowline, the best knot of all. No. 13 is a wall. No. 14, a wall and crown ; follow the strands round with the ends, and it is a double wall and crown. No. 15, a Mathew Walker, is made by unlaying the strands a sufficient distance, and carrying one end underneath and through its own bight, then the next underneath through the bight of the first and its own bight, and then the third underneath through the bight of the first and second and then its own. No. 1 6 shows the first strand passed ; No. 17 is the finished knot. A diamond knot, No. 18, is made by laying the strands back along the rope, then passing the first end over the second through the bight of the third, the second over the third and through the first, and so on drawing all tight. It may be crowned like a wall. No. 19 is a sheet bend. No. 20, a studding sail bend. No. 21, a rolling hitch. No. 22, a timber hitch. No. 23, a clove hitch. A whipping is put on as shown by No. 24, by first passing the turns over one end, and then the FLIES AND KNOTS. 283 other end under the last few turns, and drawing it close. ]S"o. 25 is called a cat's paw. These knots will probably be sufficient without adding the hangman's knot, with its seven professional turns, and a choice among them will often be found convenient, while a glance at the cut will refresh an imperfect recollection. In tying flies or hooks, it is well to use varnish occa- sionally, in fact wherever it can be done without injur- ing the appearance of the colors ; no fly will last well that has not been varnished. In making the wings of salmon flies, it is usual to put on numerous fibres, often of different feathers, and tie them on separately. This renders the wings more pliable, but destroys their beauty and harmony. A number of inconsistent colors will injure the effect of one another; the contrast between body and wings should be decided, and the unity and coherence of the latter should be preserved. If the tip of the feather is used and fastened by the stem, it will slip unless firmly secured. There is great difference in the adhesion of the fibres of different feathers, but a lit- tlie practice will determine the selection. Black bass flies are generally made with a red body, gold twist, and wings of ibis and white, or black and white, or peacock's herl and white ; but a beautiful and effective fly is made as follows : wings, two plumes of the silver pheasant with two smaller ones of ibis over them ; body, blood-red mohair ; furnace hackle ; blue floss tip ; gold tag, and ibis tail. In salmon fishing it is customary to use but one fly, as two sixteen-pound fish would be troublesome to handle ; but occasionally a dropper is added at the 284 FLIES AND KNOTS. upper end of the casting line to attract their atten- tion. Three flies are sufficient for trout fishing, and are desirable, although frequently failing to hook the fish in consequence of lying on or close to the leader. This is in a measure prevented by short, stiff gut lengths, but when the rises are mainly at the upper flies, many will be missed. In this connection it may be well to mention that coloring gut, especially for bright, transparent waters, is an error ; remember the fish from below look at it against the sky, and will see it the plainer the more it is colored. The less distinguishable to the angler the more apparent it is to them. This can be proved without difficulty, by holding against the light two strands, one plain and the other colored. For salmon, it should, if single, be round and strong ; for trout, fine and delicate. * Since the above was written, immense strides have been made in this country in the manufacture of fine tackle, while the prices of many articles have been reduced. Our rods, reels and lines are the finest, in the world, nothing equal to a split-bamboo rod or an Imbrie reel being produced anywhere. Our lines, both for trout and bass, combine a fineness and strength unknown even in England, which is the birth-place and home of angling. • INSECTS. 285 CHAPTEE XXVIII. INSECTS. There is nothing more beautiful, wonderful and inter- esting than insect life ; there is nothing that offers a wider field for examination or affords more gratify- ing results. Under the head of insects are classed, "in popular language, all the minute animals ; but only those having six legs and two antennge, and which undergo one or more changes or metamorphoses should be included ; most of them have wings, and their name is derived from the word insecta, divided, which is ap- plied to the divisions or articulations of their bodies. The outer part of their body is slightly bony, and to it the muscles are attached. Insects exist in myriads ; whole families are still undescribed, and many species unknown. Even in the old countries new discoveries are made yearly, and in the JS"ew "World it can hardly be said that anything is authenticated on the subject. Facts concerning the com- monest are most remarkable. One class of white ants, like our southern fellow countrymen, makes slaves of a darker race. Many beautiful flies live only a few hours. The eyes of the common house fly are composed of nu- merous surfaces or lenses, and their life, habits and instincts are a study in themselves. Being so numerous 286 INSECTS. * and so nearly allied, their classification is entirely imper- fect, and like a similar attempt with any other part of animal life, a failure. Almost every scientific writer has invented a system of entomological distribution for him- self, and their united efforts have produced endless con- fusion ; the arrangement generally followed is that of Latreille, the father of modern entomology. Insects are by him divided into two great divisions : those that live by chewing, mandibulata, and those that live by sucking, haustellata, whence the name applied to some of the human family. Of the former the beetles, coleoptera, are prominent, and among the latter the butterflies, lejndojptera. It is to be observed that the bees, although furnished with a sucking apparatus. to collect honey, feed with mandibles, and are in the first class. Latreille further divides the various groups as follows ; and although English authors have made many changes, the alterations are of such doubtful utility that the origi- nal classification will be retained. The first class is that of insects without wings, such as the thysanura^ or those having a bushy tail, which are mandibulate. Parasites or lice, and fleas, both of which are suctional, the last having a metamorphose, but the first two not. All others have wings, but the second class includes those that have a hard covering or case, called an elytron, over their wings ; the beetles, which have a horny wing cover and perfect metamorphose ; the dermoptera, which have a horny wing cover but an im- perfect metamorphose ; the orthoptera, or straight-winged insects, their wings folding longitudinally, and having a INSECTS. 287 leathery cover — all of whicli are mandibulate ; and the hemiptera, which have the wings half leathery and half membranous, and the mouth suctorial, and in both of the latter the metamorphose is imperfect. In the third class the wings are naked and alike ; it includes the neuro- ptera, or nerve-winged insects, in which the veins of the wings are like a net ; the hymenoptera, the wings being membranous, and veined lengthwise — both families being mandibulate ; the lepidoptera, or scale-winged insects, having delicate scales on the wings — this order is sucto- rial, and the entire three orders have four wings ; the rhipiptera, which are mandibulate and have two balances or halteres before the wings which close like a fan, whence their name is derived, and the diptera, which have two halteres behind the wings — in these families there are only two wings. The orthoptera include, as familiar examples, cock- roaches, crickets, katydids, and grasshoppers ; the neuro- ptera white ants, May-flies, caddis-flies, dragon-flies or devil's darning needles, and hoodlbugs ; the hymenoptera common ants, wasps and bees ; the lepidoptera butter- flies, moths, silk-worms, and humming-birds ; the hemi- ptera plant lice, cochineals, and locusts ; the diptera mos- quitoes, house-flies, horse-flies, and bot-flies. The order hemiptera is frequently divided into two, according as the wings are of a uniform texture, homo* ptera, or of a varied texture, heteroptera; the lepidoptera are divided into three classes — those that fly by day, and generally have the antennas knobbed ; those that fly in the twilight and have the antennae thickened, and thoso that are nocturnal and have the antennae slender. The 288 INSECTS. English writers have transposed the families griZlida and locustidm to snit the popular translation of the Scriptures, and have introduced a separate order called trichoptera. As they are principally minute objects, wise men wisely concluded the deficiency should be made up in length of name, and but one class appears under the weight of less than four syllables. The families compos- ing these orders are almost innumerable, and only those that are allied to the subject in hand can even be men- tioned. Amateur entomologists prefer the coleoptera for their beauty and variety, and collections of insects are mainly composed of brilliant, gaudy and wondrous bee- tles, varying in size from the giant, as large as the pretty fist of one of the reader's little female acquaintances, to the pigmy that is hardly perceptible to the eye. There is the beautiful and useful lady-bird, the wonderful light- ning-bug, the elephant beetle with trunk and tusks, the hercules with stout heavy limbs, the palm weevil, whose disgusting grubs are eaten as delicacies by the deluded people of St. Domingo, and many other dangerous look- ing fellows with long sharp snouts that are really harm- less, and innocent looking fellows that are really danger- ous. The fly-fisher, however, relies for his pleasure mainly upon his imitations of the neuroptera and diptera y and not so much upon the coleoptera. The young of the insect tribe, when it issues from tho shell in the shape of a worm, is known as the larva, although the larvas of some butterflies are called cater- pillars, and of certain flies maggots. When the larva begins its metamorphose it is named a pupa or chrysalis, INSECTS. 280 and the covering with which it surrounds itself a pupa- case or cocoon. It then undergoes a wonderful change, becoming the full-formed insect or imago — the ugly worm, that a short time previous had surrounded itself with a silken cocoon, bursting its case and flying off a gay, attractive and resplendent butterfly. From crawl- ing meanly over the ground or the foliage, leaving a slimy streak behind, or horrible with a greenish smooth body and clinging feet, or disgusting with innumerable bristles, it soars away, its gay plumage glittering in the sunlight as it flits from flower to flower, the envy and admiration of the human female sex. How much is there not in beauty ! Many insects live for years as worms, and but a few hours in their perfect state. The ephemerae, so called from appearing in the morning and dying before night, often do not reach half that age, although if the sexes are separated they will sometimes attain the great age of several weeks. They may be regarded as sacrificing their lives for the tender passion. They cover our waters in Summer, w T armed into existence by the sun's rays, flit- ting in a graceful but inefficient way from place to place, or floating calmly upon the surface, dropping back into nonentity with the departing sunlight. They are some- times, especially in the southern country, quite large, and include what among fishermen are known as the May flies. In some classes the change from the larva is not so remarkable, the worm having much of the appearance, and many of the distinctive marks of the perfect fly, as for example the bee ; in these the metamorphose is 290 INSECTS. said to be imperfect. The eyes of insects Are either compound, composed of numerous lenses, amounting in certain butterflies to thirty thousand, or simple, called stemmata,) the latter alone being found in the larvae, although in some of the beetles the larvae have eyes in the head and tail both. They are often long in matur- ing ; one species of locust, as is well known, remains seventeen years before coming to perfection, and many other families continue several years as larvae. Some of the larvae live in the earth, some in wood, and others under water ; some hide themselves in a cocoon ere their metamorphose is effected, others build houses of stones or sticks, others have no protection ; but all are wonder- ful. One swims upon the water, another walks upon its surface, a third crawls along at the bottom, although the majority live upon dry land. In defence they use a sting, simulate death, eject a poisonous liquid, or emit an offensive smell. The eggs mature in the running or stagnant water, in the ground, in the limbs of trees, in the foliage and stems, or in the fruit. Grasshoppers in the East, grubs among savages, snails among French- men, ants among Brazilians, locusts among prophets, and, if all reports are true, certain minute parasites among Italians, have furnished pleasing and nutritious food. But of all the marvels of insect life, that which is least consonant with nature and least credible to human understanding, is the fact that they appear spontaneously. Why should a few drops of rain in a dusty road produce animalculae never seen before ? Why should a little per- manent dirt originate two distinct parasites, according as "H ||W» r ' INSECTS. 291 it accumulates on the head or body ? "Why should new insects year after year make a perpetually changing warfare against the farmer's crops in gradation with the exhaustion of the soil ? Why should the Hessians bring the Hessian fly, or vice versa, as you please ? And a great many other "Whys which never have been and never will be answered till the " heavens shall be rolled up as a scroll." Insects feed voraciously on leaves, vegetables, fruit, on human blood — sacl to relate — and fortunately on one another. Mosquitoes, thank Heaven, have parasites that cling to the delicate rings of their bodies, stinging the arch-stinger, and inflicting by their venomous bites the same agonies the sufferers inflict on others. It is to be hoped those gentlemen will increase and multiply, and after exterminating mosquitoes may pay their addresses to the black gnats. Certain families, especially of the coleoptera, emit a species of phosphorescent light in the dark, occasionally light enough to read by. The majority of insects have wings, but many have not, and in some only one gender is winged. A few kinds, such as the locusts, katydids, crickets, death-ticks, emit sounds, to which man's sympathies have added either a pleasant or painful association, and produce these peculiar cries gen- erally by rubbing the wings or some part of the body. The wings of insects do not exceed four, and are often limited to two ; their legs are six ; some have antenna? or feelers, others long whisks from their tails. The neurojptera, or net-winged in sects, florfliegen, gauze* flies, as they are called by the Germans, include the principal pets of the fly-fisher. Their bodies are long, 292 INSECTS. tapering and delicate ; their wings, ibur, almost transpa- rent and marked with net-like veins. They keep in continual motion for the purpose of catching smaller insects, on which they mainly feed, and generally deposit their eggs in the water, where the grubs live from one to two years on plants or other insects. That most fearful looking, but really harmless and bene- ficent creature, the devil's darning-needle, or dragon-fly, libeUula, is a remarkable specimen of this family. They are called demoiselles by the French, wasserjuvfern, water- virgins by the Germans ; but, in spite of these pretty appellations, are the tyrants of the surface of the ponds ; they seize and tear to pieces all other insects, including butterflies and mosquitoes, and will clear a house of the common fly. They are cruel, rapacious and insatiable, and I do not know of their ever being used as bait for trout. The pJiryganea, or water-moth, is one of the favorites of the fly-fisher. Its grubs surround themselves with a case formed of wood or grass, and are used by him as bait under the name of caddis-worms. They are the favorite food of the trout in early spring. But the ephemeridce include most of the specimens imitated by the fisherman. The larvse of these live in the water, for one or more years, and then, swimming to the surface, suddenly change into winged insects, delicate and beau- tiful. They sometimes appear in myriads, their dead bodies covering the water. A few make a second change after flying about for a time, and crawl out of their skins once more, leaving their old clothes, to all appearance perfect, sticking to a tree or fence. On their first appear- INSECTS. 293 ance they are said to be in the psevdimago state, and to them the name duns is applied by the fly-fisher ; when they change to the imago or perfect fly, they are called piscatorially spinners. There are exceptions to this uni- formity, as with the May-flies ; the green drake is the pseudimagO) and the grey drake the imago. The phryganidm and ephemeridce are easily distin- guished ; in the former the wings lie close along the back, projecting beyond the body ; the antennae or feelers are long, and there are no whisks ; in the latter the wings stand upright from the body like a butterfly's, the antennas are very short, and there are two, or occa- sionally three, long delicate whisks. The phryganidm attach their eggs to the foliage over- hanging the water, whence upon hatching the larvae fall, and immediately proceed to construct, of twigs or gravel, miniature houses like a snail's shell, where they reside in peace and safety. These cases are lined with silk, spun from the insect's mouth, and are so light as not seriously to impede its swimming and rambling in search of food, and being open at both ends, allow him a view of the outside world. The larvae live mainly on aquatic plants, and when the proper time arrives, they close the ends of their houses with a species of grating, and commence the dormant state of the pupa. In this they remain a few days, and then emerging from their case, they ascend to the surface, burst their skin, and fly away in their perfect state of beauty. The ephemeridw deposit their eggs in the water, where they soon hatch, and where the grub, which lives usually on clay or vegetable matter, resides, occasionally for 294 INSECTS. several years, hiding under stones or in holes in the mud It then becomes a pupa, and after accomplishing its time, rises to the surface, throws off its skin, and flies away, bearing the name of dun ; it shortly alights on a tree or fence, and sheds its entire skin, withdrawing even its delicate wings and minute whisks from their previous covering. Its colors in the second stage are usually more brilliant, and under the name spinner it enjoys the plea- sures of life, perpetuates its species and dies in a few hours. While laying its eggs, it will be noticed either resting on the water or floating up and down over it. Certain species can swim well under water, and I believe descend to the bottom to deposit their eggs. I have had numbers alight on my pants when I was wading a rapid stream, run down my legs to the bottom, crawl over the stones, and with a zig-zag motion swim against the cur- rent to the surface. Kocks are frequently seen darkened with flies, that on any sudden approach drop into the water and disappear. The ephejneridcB include the blue dun, which becomes the red spinner in its final state ; the marsh brown, which changes to the great red spinner ; the turkey brown, that is transformed into the little dark spinner ; the iron blue dun, that becomes the jenny spinner; the green and grey drakes, the July and August duns, and many others. The phryganidce comprise the sand and cinnamon flics and the grannom or green-tail, besides many un described. Of the diptera, which are distinguished by having but two wings, we have the cowdung-fly, the golden dun midge, and the black gnat ; of the beetles, the peacock and fern flies and marlow buzz; of the hymenoptera, the INSECTS. 291 red ant and orange-fly; and occasionally crickets and grasshoppers are imitated. These are a few, and but a few, of the beautiful insects that sport around or upon our lovely lakes and streams ; the advancing heat of Spring warms them into life : they burst forth, enchanting man with their beauty, and gaily pass a few days or hours, surrounded by innumerable dangers, which they seem never to heed. One kind sue- ceeds another as the summer advances, usually the more gaudy during the greatest heat, till they crowd the ponds, the air, the bushes with indescribable brilliancy. I have seen, toward evening, yellow sallies appear in myriads, their dead bodies literally covering the water ; and in the St. Lawrence rivers, dead eel-flies lie in such masses as to give the effect of sea-weed. It is very desirable that fishermen should, for their own sakes as well as the sake of science, pay more atten- tion to the habits and peculiarities of these insects. The study of nature in its minute productions is wonderful ; the observations of individuals combined is of great value, and adds immensely to the general store of know- ledge ; something more would be effected than the mere pleasure of taking a large mess, and the reproach of idleness removed from our enjoyments. To be sure, the men of science, by the use of ridiculous foreign names and the confounding of a confused and worthless system, have done all they can to discourage such an undertaking and repel such aid ; but every one can note the pecu- liarities that are heretofore mentioned, can even readily preserve a specimen and mark the times and manner of their appearance and the length of their duration, and 296 INSECTS. though he may fail to obtain the scientific name, can determine the species and ascertain the habits of a few members of the most wonderful, intricate, and interest- ing portion of the creation. CAMP LIFE. 297 CHAPTER XXIX CAMP LIFE. One of the most important matters that demand the sportsman's attention, is the equipment he should take with him to make his life in the woods pleasant. He will have many annoyances and even hardships to encounter, and should be as well prepared to meet them as circum- stances will permit. The following directions are founded upon the idea he intends to retire to the wilderness, far from the abode of man, where he will have to trust for his support to his own exertions, and although many of them may seem superfluous, and to the robust may savor of effeminacy, to those who desire real comfort they will prove acceptable. The great pest of the wild woods is — not tigers nor panthers, not bears nor wolves, not even snakes — but something far smaller but infinitely more terrible — the Black Fly ! If it were possible for the uninitiated to conceive or the pen to describe the horrors conveyed in these words, I should endeavor to record them. Think of the rack, the boot, the thumb-screw, the wheel ; think of being rent asunder by wild horses, or torn in bits with hot pincers ; think of the tortures of the inquisition, or the cruel fanaticism of India, and smile ; they do not compare with the black fly. When mosquitoes hover 13 298 CAMP LIFE - round you clay and night, when they fill the air you breathe and deafen your ears with their hum, when your hands, face and body are covered with itching lumps, it is hard to bear. But mosquitoes are comparatively quiet in the sun-light, and are partially affected by smoke ; they can be influenced by a smudge, can be frightened off and sometimes killed ; they do not compare with the sand-fly. The latter, almost invisible to the naked eye, comes in absolute myriads ; it settles upon every inch of exposed flesh ; it creeps into every crevice; it cannot be frightened away, but must be brushed off; its worst attacks are at night, when tired nature is pining for a little rest ; its bite does not itch, but burns like fire, till face, hands and neck feel as though they had been scalded. But the sand-fly, bad as he is, can be persuaded out of your tent by a fire ; he does not abound except in sandy localities ; his bite does not draw blood, nor raise a lump, and is not permanent ; he does not compare with the black fly. The latter comes without a warning note ; he bites till the blood runs in a stream, and inflicts the sharpest pain ; he clings fast till he is absolutely rubbed off, and crawls up your sleeve or pants or down your neck ; he loves not the fire, nor fears the smoke ; he cannot be enticed nor driven away. The mosquito comes numerous as the rain-drops in a shower ; the sand-fly as the motes in sun- light ; but the black fly like the sand of the desert when the simoom is raging. Resignation can endure the first, stoicism the second, but nothing the last. All three of these pests are found abundantly in the woods, and without being prepared for them, instead of CAMP LIFE. 299 pleasure, the sportsman's trip would be one long torture. People have been known to be completely disfigured by their bites, and I have had my neck as thoroughly gir- dled as though it had been done with a hot iron. Their bite inflames the blood, and if accompanied with the free use of ardent spirits, may produce unpleasant conse- quences. Let no man through foolhardiness brave their attacks, thinking he can rough it and not give way before such pitiful insects ; as brave and strong men as ever lived have had their pleasure destroyed by these curses of our country, and he will repent his rashness, if not in sack-cloth and ashes, in blood and misery. I have seen a hard-working man so worn out by their attacks as to fall fast asleep standing up leaning against a rock in a hot July sun, that by its excessive warmth had for the moment driven the torments away. He wore a veil, but not being properly arranged, the flies could climb up its folds, and it was little protection. One may well ask how is it possible to defend oneself from such irrepressible villains ; nor can it be done per- fectly ; with the best precautions there will be enough to try nerve and temper. Gauntlets of leather drawn above the wrists over the coat sleeve will, though rather warm, eifectu ally protect the hand, and when oppressive, may be cooled by being dipped in water. A veil is the best thing for the face ; a piece of elastic run round the top will enable you to slip it over your straw hat and fasten it above the brim, which will keep it out from the face ; a spring wire or whalebone hoop sewed in a few inches below, will keep it off your nose, and another piece of elastic round the bottom will hold it tight around 300 CAMP LIFE. your cravat, so that the flies cannot make their way beneath it ; or the latter may be omitted to enable you to wipe your face and rub off those stragglers that will find their way in, notwithstanding your precautions. There is a light substance called tissue, that makes a cool but delicate veil, and is preferable to the ordinary barege, and for mosquitoes and black flies, bobinet is still lighter, but sand-flies might pass the meshes. Various ointments have been tried with partial suc- cess ; among them, tar ointment has lately become con- spicuous, as also oil with a few drops of creosote, but my favorite has always been a mixture of the oil of pen- nyroyal with an equal amount of almond or sweet oil ; this is both cleanly and effectual, and need only be renewed once a day. But remember it must be the oil and not the essence of pennyroyal, which latter is utterly worthless. Care must be taken with it, as with the others, not to let them run into the eyes, as they will produce unpleasant smarting. This composition is death on black flies, and quite successful against mosquitoes ; but it is well, also, to be provided with tar ointment, which will not spill if the bottle is broken. For clothes, the best suit is of strong duck, heavy enough to resist an able-bodied mosquito, but as loose as possible, so that warm flannels, of which every descrip- tion should be taken in abundance, can be worn beneath. Flannel coats, shirts and drawers or pantaloons can be crowded into a small space, and are excellent for keep- ing out cold, and are not rendered unpleasant by moist- ure. It must be borne in mind that the Summers in Canada are occasionally absolutely cold, and for weeks CAMP LIFE. 301 in July, I have shivered in every coat and flannel I had with me. Moccasins are the things for the canoe, but if you try to clamber over rocks or wade streams in them, your feet will be bruised and cut severely. It is advisable to wear stout ankle gaiters that lace up, with heavy iron- nailed slippers that may be fastened with a strap and buckle over them, after you have left the canoe, and by means of which you can cling to the rocks without slip- ping so frequently as you otherwise would. You will wear a straw hat, of course, and where mosquitoes are not innumerable, your flannel underclothes will make a delightful boating suit. Never use anything but woollen socks for any sort of hard walking, and by having your net handle shod with iron, and carrying it in one hand, you will make your way among the slippery rocks with comparative safety. The bedding should consist of plenty of blankets, and one or two of them coated with India rubber and ren- dered waterproof, to keep off the moisture that will always rise from the ground at night, to wrap the rest of your clothes in, and to protect them and yourself from rain and wet. A stout leather strap and buckle is neces- sary for the latter purpose. The best tent is a circular one without any ridge-pole, but supported by a rope run through a pulley attached to three long poles cut in the woods, and placed in the shape of a tripod above. The pins are driven into the cloth itself, and hold it so close to the ground that no insects can penetrate beneath, while a flap effectually closes the door. There is a hole for ventilation at the top, whicl\ in a rain, may be closed 302 CAMP LIFE. witli a canvas cap. A stout post may be set up in the centre with a few nails on which to hang clothes. This tent should only be used at a permanent camp ; and for travelling, the ordinary tent with a ridge-pole, as more accurately described, hereafter, is preferable ; a piece of oiled cloth laid over sticks planted slanting in the ground, will keep off the rain and dew. A round tent of twenty-four feet in circumference will not accommodate more than two men luxuriously, where- as one of double that circumference will hold, live times the number. A large tent is a great comfort and not much trouble. A separate tent should of course be taken for your men, and another simple one for a make- shift and a dining-room. To arrange the latter is your first care on arriving at your permanent camping-ground, the table is of bark, either birch or spruce, nailed fast to posts, and shielded by some protection from the rain ; the seats are either a large log or the barrels you have brought with you to carry stores and fish, or else stools ingeniously chipped from the trunks of trees with the branches for legs. A dressing-stand is then arranged, with a wash-basin made of birch bark ; the fire-place is rigged up with a ridge-pole supported on two notched sticks, and with a hooked withe to support the kettle, and. your sylvan home is furnished. To support and gratify the inner man, it is well to have with you all conceivable little delicacies, such as nutmegs, allspice, preserved fruits, meats and vegetables, sweet oil, lemons and raisins, sardines, chocolate, citric acid and ginger ; but the necessaries are clear salt pork, flour, rice, oat-meal and Indian-meal, coffee, tea, brown CAMP LIFE. 303 *nd white sugar, red and black pepper, fine and coarse Bait, butter, sauces, preserved and fresh eggs, solidified milk, ales and ardents according to consumption, pota- toes, smoked beef, pickles, piccalilly, matches, the essence of coffee, bacon, ham, dried beans and peas, hominy, cigars, onions, bread, crackers, molasses, tobacco, desiccated meats and soups. Many of these articles may be advantageously stowed in the barrels intended for packing fish, but the butter should be put up in air-tight jars in small quantities, and may in hot weather be buried under water in the sand. The oil tried out of the pork is usually used for frying ; but if you have sufficient butter the latter is infinitely preferable. For cooking you will need an iron pot and boiling ket- tle, tin kettles fitting inside of one another, a frying-pan with a handle like the kettle, a coffee-pot, some knives and tin plates, cups, spoons, forks and deep dishes, and above all an oyster broiler. The latter has thin wires, and, having two surfaces, can be turned more readily than a gridiron. It should be used extensively : fish and game split open and broiled, Avell basted with butter, are undeniable, and will be found a pleasant change from the eternal fry. Large fish may be boiled and served up with a little of the liquor strengthened with a teaspoon- ful of Worcestershire sauce. The greatest difficulty will be found with the bread ; the latter may be kept a couple of weeks, and when excessively dry, by steaming in the pot will be rendered eatable, but not good. Ship biscuit must be the main reliance for a long tramp. Before taking your departure, if you could obtain a few lessons in cooking from some elderly lady friend whoso 30-t CAMP LIFE. youth lias not been so entirely devoted to dress as to pre- vent her knowing something of her household duties, and will carry with you a few simple recipes, you will not regret it. As no one can be certain of perfect health or freedom from accident, it is well to be provided with plenty of sticking and court plaster, cholera medicine and Rochelle salts ; but generally the fine exercise and open air are a brave preventive against sickness. Do not forget brown soap to wash the dishes, candles for light in the evening, and cream of tartar and soda to make the flour rise. The most necessary tools are an axe, a hatchet, one of Aiken's patent diminutive awl tool-chests, with which to mend broken rods, needles and thread to mend torn clothes, some rosin to mend the canoes, and a supply of various sizes of nails for numerous purposes, while a file and sharpening stone will be found useful additions. An india-rubber water-proof bag is admirable as a receptacle for clothes or blankets, which should be heavy, and a tin wash-basin and an air-pillow will be great additional comforts. Fresh eggs may be conveniently stowed in the barrels of coarse salt used for curing fish. Of the foregoing there are none you can comfortably omit, and besides them there are plenty you would do well to have ; but the judgment and taste of each indi- vidual will suggest the additions. As one of the first objects will be to preserve the fish you catch, a preparation of eight ounces of sugar, two ounces of salt, half an ounce of brown pepper, well rubbed into fish from which the back bone has been re- moved, and which are allowed to dry in the sun, will CAMP LIFE. 3Q5 preserve them over a month. They should be packed in barrels with layers of bark between, and will prove more edible than when simply smoked ; by smoking they may be kept for years, and the fisherman long have the proud pleasure of offering to friend at breakfast a little of the salmon he killed and smoked himself the previous Sum- mer in Canada. In warm weather, fish merely salted cannot be kept long, and pickling in brine utterly destroys their flavor ; but if the latter method must be adopted, a pickle of two parts salt and one part common brown sugar will keep them forever. Before cooking, however, they should be well soaked. Pickling in vinegar with a few cloves is probably the best mode where it is possible. The gum for mending the canoes — and it is surprising how large a hole it will fill — is made of one part rosin to three parts balsam gum, fused together. If the aper- ture is very extensive, a piece of linen saturated with melted gum should be applied. In New Brunswick and Maine it is usual to mix rosin and grease, which answers every purpose. ■ To smoke fish, it is necessary to salt them in a tub, where they can form a brine, and leave them thus for two days, and then hang them in a smoke-house, not too near the fire, for as many weeks, when they are to be packed in layers, separate. Fish are soused by being partially boiled, and having vinegar boiled in copper kettles mixed with allspice and poured over them. Iron turns the vinegar black, and hence this mode cannot be pursued in the woods. Small fish may be headed, cleaned and packed in a jar, which is then filled up with 13* 306 CAMP LIFE - vinegar and allspice and baked all night. Next day fresh vinegar is added to make up for the evaporation, and lard is run in to exclude the air. They keep well and taste excellent. An air-tight ean is now made, with a cover that fits into a trough which can be filled with melted rosin. This may be used over and over again, and is peculiarly adapted to the woods. It must be hermetically sealed while the contents are boiling, but without sealing might be advantageously used to protect sugar and such things from the wet. The same cover is applied to brown ear- then jars, which are well suited for carrying butter. Literature will be found a great resource in the woods, and although Harper's last Monthly may be permissible on account of the shortness of its stories, nothing should be taken of too interesting a character, lest it divert attention from the main object in view. This work will be found extremely safe. In giving the foregoing directions it is assumed that the reader intends to travel with canoes, and does not expect to make any extensive portages, or, as they are called in American, " carries ;" for if the men are ex- pected to back the traps for any considerable distance, the only admissible articles are fishing-tackle, penny -royal, an axe, the tents, pork, ship biscuit, tea, sugar, pepper, salt, tea-kettle, matches and a frying-pan. The slightest weight becomes a mountain on such occasions, and it will require stout muscles to carry enough for their own sus- tenance. In salmon-fishing this is rarely necessary, unless a man would be an explorer, and the adventurous are always sufferers. CAMP LIFE. 307 As it is possible none of my reader's female acquaint- ance have ever soiled their rosy fingers — Heaven save the mark! — with domestic cookery, an outline of the theory of that science may be advantageous. There are certain well known rules that have no exceptions, unless in the hands of a genius, and which apply to classes and divisions of edibles. For instance, a little salt must always be thrown into the water before anything is boiled in it. Thus, again, with the great class of fried cakes : milk thickened with flour, and an egg or two, and a pinch of salt, makes griddle : add squash, boiled and mashed, and you have squash cakes ; employ boiled and mashed rice in place of squash, and there is produced the delicate rice cake ; introduce Indian-meal, which has been first scalded, and you have Indian cakes. This class of cakes is made by pouring the preparation, in large tablespoon- fuls at a time, on a greased griddle or frying-pan. In broiling, frying, roasting, baking, or stewing, salt and pepper are first rubbed on the article to be cooked ; in broiling, baking, or roasting, it is basted with butter or grease, and in frying the butter is first put in the pan and heated. Potatoes boiled, and cut thin when cold, are delicious fried. In stewing, a little water is poured over the meat, and the cooking is done with a cover on. Frying is with butter or grease alone ; stewing with grease and a little water ; and boiling with water alone. You determine when things are done by the color and trying how they resist a fork. An excellent chowder is made by putting pork, fish, cracker, meat, clams, and anything else that is handy, with vegetables, sufficient seasoning, and a little water, and stewing it well. Stew- 308 CAMP LTFE - ing can hardly be carried to excess, as from the closeness of the vessel the nutritions particles cannot escape. The best omelette the tyro can make, and excellent it will be found, is by frying eggs, which are first beaten up and seasoned, till they are not quite firm. They must be stirred all the while to keep them from burning, and if they are done hard are ruined. A white sauce is made of flour and butter well mixed together, stirred into hot water and allowed to boil for a few minutes ; a hard boiled egg may be chopped up and added if desired. This is the appropriate sauce for salmon. A brown gravy is made from the drippings of the meat, and some burnt sugar or browned crumbs add- ed and warmed up. The following is an accurate recipe for griddle cakes : one pint of boiled rice, three tablespoonfuls of flour, two tablespoonfuls of milk and two eggs. "While for fried cakes it will be observed that flour, milk and eggs are used, for ordinary cakes flour, butter and eggs are neces- sary, with sugar added for sweetening. Thus, a good cake is made of five cups of flour, three cups of sugar, two cups of butter and four eggs. This cake must be baked slowly, which could be done in a piece of birch bark inclosed in heated stones, allowing room for it to rise. The simplest and best way to boil a salmon is to slash him on the sides with vertical cuts to the bone, having previously drawn, opened and cleaned him, to wash him well in the nearest spring, put him into boiling watei sufficiently salt to bear an egg, and cook him seven or eight minutes to every pound of weight, and serve him CAMP LIFE. 3Q9 with some of the water he was cooked in foi sauce. The latter may be thickened with flour and butter. He should, like all other fish, be cooked fresh. Broiled fish, or, if they are large, slices of fish, cook better wrapped in a piece of paper oiled ; and the one- half of a salmon spread out, tacked on a board and roast- ed by a hot fire is excellent ; and in cooking small fish suspended by a twig near the fire, Frank Forester recom- mends that a small stick with a piece of pork threaded on it, should be inserted to keep the belly open, and a biscuit placed below to catch the drippings. A hot fire will cook a fish thus in ten minutes. To bake a fish he is wrapped in oiled paper or birch bark, and placed in an oven built of stones laid in a hol- low, and from which the fire has just been removed, other heated stones are placed above him, and the fire is raked back over the whole. It will be hardly necessary to remark, in connection with these directions, that fish must be cleaned and have the gills removed and be well washed and scaled before they can be cooked ; that when the word butter is used, and my reader have no butter, he must use such grease or oil as he may have ; that in all cases he can add such sauces and spices to his condiments as he may relish and possess. Among all the variety of prepared sauces, an- chovy for salmon and Worcestershire for meats are the best, but lemon alone gives an excellent flavor. To bread anything, whether it be fried oysters or fried eels, dip them in the yolk of egg beaten up, and then in cracker pounded fine, or they may first be dipped in flour and afterward in egg and cracker. 310 CAMP LIFE. Tea is made by pouring a little hot water on the leaves and allowing it to draw by the fire for ten minutes and then filling up with hot water. Coffee, by putting the coffee, mixed with the yolk of an egg, into boiling water and allowing it to boil once — no more, on your life. If you do not wish to use an egg, put in a teaspoonful of cold water immediately on taking it from the fire. This is done to clear it. Chocolate is made by melting a cake broken into small pieces in warm water, adding a cup of milk after it is perfectly smooth, and boiling for twenty minutes. An excellent tea is made of yellow birch bark. Bread, especially if it is a little stale, is much improved by toasting, which should be done by approaching it close to the fire, even throwing it on the coals and burning the outside almost black. If buttered and covered with brown sugar and eaten hot it makes an excellent dessert. If salt pork is to be broiled, it should be cut thin, and may be soaked well in water, dipped in Indian-meal, so as to bread it, and then broiled or fried brown. It can be used in soup by being boiled in two waters. Smoked beef is good if stewed a few minutes with a lump of butter mixed with flour and enough milk to coyer the whole, which may be seasoned with pepper. Fried fish that has become cold can be revived in the same way ; the flour may be omitted and some salt must be added. An onion may be boiled in bread sauce, and removed before serving, or pepper may be added ; celery chopped and cooked in a stew or sauce adds a peculiarly pleasant flavor. Tough meat of all kinds should be stewed, and except salt pork, meat should be rarely fried. The fore- CAMP LIFE. 311 going are soon acquired by practice, and experience will suggest many valuable alterations ; but they are all the directions necessary to make camp life not merely com- fortable, but by the aid of a good appetite extremely pleasant. Cookery is no mean science, and a knowledge of it will prove interesting and advantageous not only in the wilderness, but so long as Irish cooks shall rule our kitchens and ruin our digestions, in the realms of civil- ization. To unite economy in space and weight with the utmost amount of accommodation, the following sized tents will be found to answer for two fisherman and five guides or even four fishermen. The tent of the gentlemen should be four cloths deep, each cloth of twenty-six inches, and cut twenty feet long, so that there should be ten feet on each side, of the ridge- pole ; the wall takes about three feet, at the upper edge of which a small piece is tabled in where the bolt-rope passes, to shed the rain. There is an extra strip of can- vas along the ridge, with two small grummets in each end, inside the tent, to receive the poles ; but there is no bolt-rope except along the wall, and there must be no cross seams, as they are sure to leak. A shoulder is left on the poles, which are thrust into the grummets and a spreader is forced up between them and sustained as a ridge-pole by a notch cut in each. There are three tent ropes on each side, with a stout line and toggle, or but- ton where they join the tent, to trice up the walls in warm weather ; the doors, which are at both ends, lap well over, and are secured by a strong galvanized hook and eye. and are closed with strings. Along the bottom 312 CAMP LIFE. of the wall are rings to peg it down, and the width is the same as the depth. This tent sets up eight feet high, and is quickly pitched if the poles are retained, which can be readily done, as they are convenient in the bottom of the canoe to keep other baggage from the wet. The size may be diminished to eight feet square, but will be found rather cramped, especially in wet weather, when the fisherman is more or less compelled to stay indoors, and will not permit of what is often desirable, accommodat- ing a visitor. For the men, a simple strip of canvas eight feet square, with sloping sides, is all that is required. In fact, in cold weather an open tent with a fire in front is preferable to all others, and can be kept as warm as an oven. A Sib- ley tent has many advantages, but must be large, and is troublesome to transport. In cold weather, logs should be cut down and laid up with mud like a hut, or boards driven into the ground close together to form the foun- dation, and the tent set over them. It will be warmer and more roomy. "Where there is naught to be shot, and as little to be caught, no man has any business in the woods ; but as bad marksmanship or scarcity of game may cause the first, or a rise of water the second, it is well to know that a pound of biscuit and a pound of pork per day is all that a man requires for his support. A fair allowance however would be, considering it merely as an addition to the proceeds of the gun and rod, a pound of biscuit or bread, and half a pound of pork. "Where flour is taken the amount of bread may be reduced ; but as the staff of life occasionally becomes wet and moldy, it is CAMP LIFE. 313 better to be well supplied. Half a pound of solidified milk will last one man ten days, a pound of tea thirty, and half a pound of tobacco one week. Eight pounds of brown sugar, the same of butter, a bushel of potatoes, and two gallons of molasses are sufficient for two anglers and five men one week. It is not customary to give men milk, sugar or coffee ; they are carried only for the gentlemen, and the above calculations are made on that footing. These computations may be relied on, and will be found extremely useful ; although the luxuries of camp life may fail, the necessaries must not be exhausted. There is no fun in having to send a couple of your best men fifty miles for provisions, when salmon are rising or a long journey is to be made. Time devoted to pleasure is precious ; a day wasted is indeed a loss. And now, good reader, farewell. In looking over this book, I perceive how far short I have fallen of my own expectations, and feel how greatly I must have disap- pointed yours. Much has been badly said, much omit- ted, and no doubt much unintentionally misstated. Opinions differ, and experience leads to contrary results. There are game fish, and modes of taking them, with which doubtless I am unacquainted, and yet I hope you will find something here that has not been written before. My aim has been to induce sportsmen to study the habits and proper designation of the different varieties of game they pursue, to apply the appropriate names and distin- guish the various species. My hope is to elevate thei* 314 CAMP LIFE. purpose above the mere indulgence of that peculiar innate pleasure experienced in the chase, and at the same time, if possible, to press upon the attention of natural- ists the vast assistance they might obtain from their humbler brethren by reducing their language to the standard of ordinary comprehension ; and above all, to insist, by every consideration of humanity, upon the absolute necessity of preventing the cruel, wanton, and untimely destruction of the beautiful inhabitants of our woods and waters. These have been my objects ; it is for you to judge how far I have succeeded. But, reader, let me warn you : neither praise nor dispraise overmuch. In either case I shall write another book, to justify the former or disprove the latter. APPENDIX. REELS, AND LINES. Since the body of this book was written, the tackle- makers have taken it into their heads to give the fishing world the most wonderful assortment of flies that the mind of man could have conceived, and far beyond any- thing that nature could in her most festive moods have produced. I give them not because I believe any such assortment to be necessary for the angler or tempting to the fish, but because they are so wonderful in themselves and so very attractive to the tyro who fancies that beauty of tackle is going to produce fulness of creel. I am in- debted for them less to my own knowledge than to the kindness of Mr. W. Holberton who, to excellence as a fly-fisherman, has had the good fortune to add experience in the business. So firmly have some of them established their reputation that a modern book on angling would not be complete without them. The strongest flies are tied with reversed wings, as they will last much longer. Use highest-quality sproat hooks and selected white or mist-colored gut snells. Salmon flies are now often tied on small double hooks, instead of on large ones, as formerly. For salmon flies even more care should be taken in choosing the gut, as not only is the fish larger, but the loss of a salmon is more serious than the loss of a trout. The following list comprises all those of any value sold in the shops, whether copied from nature or evolved from 316 APPENDIX. the inner consciousness of the tackle-maker. For the smaller streams in the Middle and Eastern States, the coachman, royal-coachman, grizzly-king, Abbey, Mon- treal, Imbrie, brown-hen, white-miller, orange-miller, yellow-sally, black-gnat, great-dim, queen of the water, Hooker, golden-spinner, Cahill, silver-black, professor, march-brown, jenny-spinner, red or dun fox, silver- brown, hare's-ear or dark-fox, blue-dun, dusty-miller, coch-y-bon-dhu or marlow-buzz, gray-gnat, cow-dung, Beaver-Kill, grannom,Ronald's stone, brown-stone, and the various colored hackles. On some waters the addition of jungle-cock's feathers to the above will prove very killing. On Long Island waters the favorites are the cow-dung, scarlet ibis, Cahill, Imbrie, yellow-sally, great-dun, hare's- ear, queen of the water, black and gray gnats, golden- spinner, silver-black, grizzly-king, professor, Abbey, Mon- treal, and the different colored hackles. Hooks for the above lists should be numbers 8 to 12. For the Adirondacks, Maine, and the Canadas, light and dark Montreal, Abbey, scarlet-ibis, professor, great-dun, brown-hen, Brandreth, cock-robin or Murray, silver-doctor, Parmacheeny belle, St. Patrick, McAlpin, Lawrence, Hol- berton, Rangely, Molechunkamunk, Mooseluck-maguntic, Beatrice, No. 8, Round-lake, Bemes, tinselled-ibis, Elliot, Megalloway, silver-black, Canada, blue-jay, Jenny-Lind, and the hackles. Also any of the above, with the feathers of the jungle-cock added. They are to be tied on hooks numbered from 3 to 5, and may be reinforced by a short piece of gut tied in alongside of the other and extending above the hook, making the snell double for half an inch beyond the head of the fly. For black-bass any of the large flies previously named APPENDIX. 317 may be used, and the following are particularly good: turkey, scarlet-ibis, Page, Brandreth, Fergusson, grizzly- king, Montreal, silver-doctor, Rube Wood, Lord Baltimore, Whitney, Elliot, Rangely, Holberton, humble-bee, Gov. Alvord, and white-miller. The hooks for these should be from numbers 1 to 4. For trolling, the same tied with double snells may be used on hooks from 2 / o to 1. For salmon-fishing, the following are recommended: Fairy, Dovey-queen, black-dose, Imbrie's-witch, gipsy, butcher, fiery-brown, bonne-bouche, silver-gray, silver- doctor, orange-doctor, black-doctor, lion, Dunkeld, blue- tansy, gold-finch, dusty-miller, Wilmot, thunder-and-light- ning, blue-Highlander, parson, Wingfield-red, Popham, Jock-Scott, and Durham-ranger. Lines are now made in an endless variety and of a vastly improved quality. For salt-water fishing, linen lines are generally used, as they stand the action of the chloride of sodium better than silk. For heavy work, such as cod- fishing, trolling for blue-fish, and deep sea-fishing, braided and hawser-laid cotton lines are the best. The lines used by the anglers at West-Island, Pasque, Cuttyhunk, and other localities where large striped-bass are taken, are made of the choicest flax, hand-laid of from nine to eighteen threads, and notwithstanding their fineness, are marvels of strength. For fly-fishing for salmon, trout, and black-bass, the polished enamelled waterproof, tapered, silk lines have entirely superseded the old hair, and hair-and-silk lines. For fresh-water trolling and bait-fishing, there are the hard-braid linen lines and the oiled silk braided lines, and pure boiled or raw-silk for minnow-casting for black-bass, and so forth. 318 APPENDIX. Good leaders are a very important portion for an angler's outfit, and more fish are lost through the use of poor gut and improper snelling than from any other cause. The best silk-worm gut from which leaders are made, comes from Spain, and should be carefully selected, only perfectly round and even strands being used. Anglers should discard any leader or snell that is at all rough or flat, or that has been dyed. Dyeing can be easily detected by its decided color, generally either a blue or greenish tinge, and the process injures the gut. A true mist-col- ored leader should be without any tinge other than a faint mist or water-color, which is obtained by staining, and not by dyeing. The hooks now generally preferred by anglers are the highest quality sproat and the forged O'Shaughnessy, the latter being used principally for striped-bass, blue-fish, and channel-bass. For the heavy fishing at Cuttyhunk, West- Island, Newport, and Karragansett Pier, the knobbed and needle-eyed O'Shaughnessy is the favorite. The highest quality sproat is used for black-bass, salmon and trout flies, and is rapidly becoming the favorite hook among expert anglers. The advantage of the highest-quality forged O'Shaughnessy hooks consists in the fact that not only are they made of the choicest steel, but that the forg- ing breaks every hook in which there is the slightest flaw, while the difference in price between them and inferior grades amounts to only one-third or one-half of a cent on a hook, an amount not worth considering under the cir- cumstances. The old-fashioned kirbed hooks are rapidly going out of favor. The sproat has been greatly im- proved lately, the line of draft is in direct line with the point, which is small and keen, and penetrates a fish's APPENDIX. 319 mouth more easily than a clumsier hook. The barb, too, is small and gives less room for play and does not tear so large a hole as a coarser hook. When fishing with a light rod, this- is a great advantage both in striking and playing a fish. In fact it is almost impossible to drive a coarse large barbed hook through the tough mouth of a black- bass with the light rods that are now coining into favor.* For fly-fishing there is no rod like a well-made round, split bamboo ; but to be well made, and no other is really worth having, a round eight-piece split bamboo is an ex- pensive implement and costs a high price. But when well made it is not only a thing of beauty and a joy for- ever, but will stand an amount of exposure and hard work not to be obtained from inferior rods. It has not always been possible to obtain such implements in their per- fection, as some manufacturers who have not had the necessary experience, or who in their anxiety to j:>roduce a cheap article have slighted their work, have given the split bamboo rods a bad name. They should be made from the upper part of the canes alone, as in that part the nodes which give them their strength are the thickest. The outside or glazed part of the cane should come on the out- side of the rod, and the joints should be so perfect that they cannot be traced by the eye, as if there is the least opening water will get in and destroy the rod. While if thoroughly well finished, they are the best article of their kind, nevertheless greenheart, cedar and lancewood rods all have their admirers, and in skillful hands will do effi- cient work. Machine-made rods should be avoided by * Some of the illustrations in this volume have been furnished us by Messrs. Wm. C. Harris, and Abbey & Imbrie. 320 APPENDIX. every angler who takes pride in his casting or his tools, no matter how cheap they are. The best proof of the supe- riority of the bamboo rod is the fact of its general use at all public tournaments where its power has been jjroved by a cast of over eighty feet with a four and a half ounce rod. In giving the weight of a trout rod, it should be stated whether the ordinary mountings are included, as they make a difference of several ounces. The fly-rod that in a tournament would be called a four or five-ounce rod, would in the hands of the sportsman be found to weigh nine or ten ounces. When a weight is given in these pages, the full weight of mountings is intended, so that a nine-ounce rod is what the professionals would call a five-ounce rod. Great strides have been made by professional fly-casters in the matter of length of cast since this book was first written. Then a cast of seventy feet was considered a very long reach, but now eighty-five feet have been cast with a rod of four and seven-eighths ounces, and eighty- seven feet with a twelve-ounce rod. The rods in these cases are heavy at the tip, and are not well adapted to ordi- nary fly-fishing and would soon tire out the strongest wrist. They are in all instances made out of split bamboo. In bass-casting, that is what is called Cuttyhunk fashion, the public trials have not been satisfactory, the casts not having been scored at much over one hundred and sixty feet. But there is no doubt that with the regulation weight of two and a half ounces, at least two hundred and twenty feet can be cast. To make very long casts with a fly, it is essential not only to have a stiff rod and to fasten on the droppers with short snells, but to put double gut at APPENDIX. 321 the head of the stretcher-fly. Moreover, the flies must not be allowed to sink, but must be retrieved immediately in order to get the line well out behind, which is the great difficulty in distance-casting. In actual fishing the angler is considered an expert who alone and unaided can strike, play and land a five-pound trout or a fifteen-pound salmon. Those are tests of skill that far exceed casting ninety feet in an open pond with a top-heavy rod. Reels have kept up with the march of improvement in fishing tackle, and are now made much lighter and stronger than in days gone by. Hard rubber has taken the place of metal to a great extent, making the reel very much lighter. Aluminum has been tried, but, though very hard, it is a metal of poor texture, so that the screws do not hold, and the reels soon get loose and shaky, while at the same time it is expensive. There are several patented trout reels for getting large barrels to wind the line on quickly, or to expose it to the air so that it will not rot. Most of the fine reels are made of German silver, and with works as carefully constructed as those of a clock, for the striped bass reels must run with absolute perfec- tion. A valuable invention of Messrs. Abbey & Imbrie provides for the adjustment of the bearings, so that any wear can be readily taken up, and the reel kept in good condition without expense. It consists of the use of steel- screw pivots easily adjusted, which reduce the friction to a minimum. There is an endless variety of spoon baits now made for the angler to select from ; among them the most ad- mired are the "fluted spoons" and the "mottled pearl," including the new Florida pearl spinner, with a body of white pearl, combined with a mottled revolving spoon. 322 APPENDIX. But the old-fashioned revolving silvered plate in its vari- ous forms is by no means superseded by these modern mysteries. The introduction of black-bass throughout the country has created a large demand for artificial baits. Live min- nows are often difficult to obtain, and the market is now well supplied with artificial minnows, frogs, dobsons, crickets, beetles, and grasshoppers. Of these baits, the " fairy " is the most successful. It is made of fish-skin, and has the scales of the real minnow preserved. It is as soft and flexible as the live bait, and will kill black-bass and pickerel when every other artificial bait fails. Of minnow gangs there is also a great variety, the latest and one of the best being the " St. Lawrence " gang. This has a thin baiting needle, which allows the most delicate minnow to live for hours, and has not the usual great number of treble hooks to make it troublesome and un- sightly for delicate fishing. INDEX* A. PA.GE Allowance of provisions 312 Attihawmeg 147 B. Bass, black 217 Otsego 151 rock 222 Baits for trout 33 Black Fly 297 Blue-fish 153 Boiestown 135 C. Camp life 297 stores 302 C'entrarchus cetieus 222 fasciatus 217 Cisco 149 Classification of fish 7 Cooking 303, 307 Coregonus albus 147 Otsego 151 Common Carp 163 Crab bait 205 Curing fish .304 Cyprians carpio 163 E. Ephemera 292 Esox estor 164 fasciatus 187 Esox lucioides 181 reticulatus 182 tredecem radiatus 184 F. Flies and knots 263 for bass 283 for salmon 263 for trout 16 Flies, Rods, etc., Appendix. G. Ghost of Deadman's Landing. ..126 story of Abraham 129 Glass-eye 224 Green-fish 153 Orystes nigricans , 217 H. Horse mackerel 153 I. Insects 285 K. Knots 263 L. Labrax lineatus 202 Landing fish 28 La Val 61 lake 77 Lucioperca americana 22i 324 INDEX. he. Mascallonge 164 Mascanonga 164 Marshpee 22 Miramichi 120 Moose story 131 Iff. Neuroptera 291 New Brunswick, trip to 116 Nipisiquit 140 O. Ohio salmon 225 Otsego bass 151 P. Perca labrax 202 flavescens 228 Perch, yellow 228 Pickerel 198 common 182 great northern 181 Long Island 187 Pickering 22i Pike, federation 184 of the lakes 221 perch 224 Propagation of fish 230 Phryganea 292 R. Roe of shad or salmon 201 Rock-fish 202 S. Salmon 88 Salmon fishing 92, 102 habits of 98 rivers 167 rivers, how to reach them Ill time for catching 94 place for catching 94 rod for 91 Ohio 225 Salmo salar 88 irutta marina 41 Sciena lineata 202 Scollops 207 Sea trout 41 Shrimp bait 205 Skipjack 153 Smoking fish 305 Snap-hook 176 Snapping mackerel 157 Spearing 209 Spoons 174 T. TemnodOH mltrator 155 Tents 293, 311 Thousand Isles 189 Trimmers for pickerel 177 Trout, American speckled, or brook 12 flies for 16 fly-fishing for 18 baits for 23 sea, white or silver.. 41 white, or Scoodic 145 W. White-fish 147 trout 145