the stories are told with such infinite gusto and good humor. For my own part, I received in perfect faith every recital of his achievements—even that of the two hundred and six salmon killed in three weeks last year, and of the one hundred and twenty-two killed in half the time last June. That of a year ago was a wonderful catch-probably unsurpassed by any thing which ever before passed into the angling records of either the old world or the new.

Mr. FORBES does honor to old Harvard, whether as a barrister or as an angler. But his virtues shine out most conspicuously in his friendly offices and courteous bearing. If, as I have no doubt, he is as attentive to the interests of his clients as he is to the comfort of his friends, he should gather a rich harvest from his profession.

Mr. SPURR is the veteran angler of St. John. He has fished in all waters for twenty years, and knows more of the haunts and habits of the salmon than any other man in the province. He is a walking encyclopedia, and finds no greater pleasure than in dispensing his accumulated wisdom to those who are anxious to learn. It was fitting, therefore, that he should have taken the champion fish of the season—a forty-eight pounder the grandest trophy attainable to mortal fisher

man.

It was a well-meant compliment, uttered

by the unfortunate punster of our party, when he said: "This noble fish shall Spurr me on to a still grander achievement."

Messrs. HANFORD and ROLF and SMITH and HEADLEY and CENNET, and still others whose names but not whose good offices are forgotten, constitute a coterie of anglers and gentlemen (synonyms usually,) of whom any city might be proud, and whom it will always be a pleasure to remember.

CHAPTER VII.

WHO WENT A-FISHING, AND HOW THEY
REACHED THE RIVER.

I now believed

The happy day approach'd, nor were
My hopes deceived.

-[Dryden.

VERY one, I presume, looks forward hopefully to the realization of some fancied good, or to the attainment of some coveted pleasure. Life would be even more sombre and leaden than it is but for this ever-living hopefulness. It is the hidden sunshine which gives to the darkest cloud its silver lining-the unseen hand which "smoothes the wrinkled front of weary care." No matter that these pleasant visions seldom assume the form and substance of reality. "Castles in the air" have often happier tenants than those on terra firma.

The enthusiastic angler is never content with minor achievements. His constant expectation is that every new cast will afford him some new con

quest, and that the grand sport of to-day will be excelled by the grander sport of to-morrow.

no others can it be said more truthfully:

Of

hope not merely to capture the best of the fish for which he is angling, but hope that at some time not far off he may capture his proper quota of the gamiest fish that swims. During many more than a score of years I have found great pleasure in angling for trout, but at no time in all these years have I ceased to hope that sometime in the golden future kind fortune would favor me with the opportunity to kill a salmon. And at length, after many years of "hope deferred," the opportunity came, the excursion was projected, the waters were reached, the cast was made, hope became fruition and the coveted result was achieved. A great many pleasurable "first times" are jotted upon the memory of the merchant's first sucevery one cessful venture, the lawyer's first case and the politician's first triumph-but none of these, nor all of them combined, can compare with the delight which comes to the enthusiastic angler from the rise and swirl and strike and capture of his first salmon. I speak from experience, and propose, for the delectation of those who are still hoping, to enter into particulars, not of that single incident alone, but of

the many incidents which made our three weeks' sojourn on the Cascapedia delightfully enjoyable.

I owe to Gen. ARTHUR, Collector of the Port of New York, the opportunity of experiencing what will be "a joy forever." For several years that gentleman has given his summer vacations to salmon fishing. There are few more expert anglers and none who have a higher appreciation of the gentle art. His scores have always indicated skill and perseverance the two essentials of success. The party, of which the General was Chief, consisted also of R. G. DUN, of New York, D. ARCHIE PELL, of Staten Island, and the writer hereof. Mr. DUN, like the General, had had several years' successful experience. Col. PELL (like his honored father before him) had had large practice in every other department of angling. But, with myself, he was about to try his "'prentice han'" on salmon waters and to make his first cast for his diploma as a graduate in the high school of the craft. I could not have fallen into better hands, nor have been brought into the association of gentlemen in more perfect accord and sympathy in all hopeful anticipation of the great pleasure in reserve for us.

The outfit for salmon fishing, though somewhat expensive if of the best-and the best, in strength if not in beauty, it always should be- is both compact and simple, consisting of a rod (costing any