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the tiniest pebble, is as clearly revealed as if it lay in the palm of your hand. But the use of the flambeaux is strictly prohibited by the laws of the realm. Aware of this, we took the precaution on coming in to secure a permit from the Warden to make a survey of the pools by torchlight, under pledge that we would destroy no fish during the process. As our object was simply to see the fish in their native element, and perhaps thereby learn some thing of their habits, we cheerfully gave the pledge and honestly intended to keep it.

The night chosen for this novel excursion was the last of our sojourn at the Forks. It was pitchdark, and when our six canoes put out in Indian file, illuminated by a dozen flambeaux, the spectacle was exceedingly picturesque. The dense forest loomed up grandly in its impenetrable vastness. The surface of the river seemed a bed of molten silver, and the Indians, as they stood up with setting pole or paddle, looked weird and ghost-like. Starting from the upper pool, we floated down. more than a mile, salmon at every step showing themselves, shooting hither and thither, aroused from their repose by the unusual spectacle. Scores of fish were seen in pools where we had cast in vain; and even in shallow, swift water, where we never thought of casting, they appeared in large numbers. So long, however, as we continued to

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float with the current, the view was unsatisfactory, except in revealing an abundance of fish. We could get no quiet look at them; they appeared and disappeared like a flash. We, however, had as favorable an opportunity as we could desire when we passed into the still water of "Lazy Bogan' a bayou at the head of the very best pool on the river. This bayou is full of deep holes, with clear sandy bottom. Each of these still pools was filled with salmon, and as we held our boat above them, we could see them perfectly, gracefully moving about and with such deliberation as to afford us just the view we desired. We saw in this still water, where they are not supposed to ordinarily resort, at least fifty, of all sizes, ranging from ten to forty or fifty pounds. It was a sight worth a journey hither, and it will never be forgotten.

I said we gave our pledge that no fish should be killed during our survey. In starting out we peremptorily enjoined our guides not to strike at the fish, under penalty of our gravest displeasure; and they promised. But they did not keep their promise. The moment the schools of fish appeared they became wild with excitement, and, in spite of our constant reminders, they would strike out with gaff and pike-pole in a perfect frenzy of delight. They kept up a constant shout of "There they go!" "Salmon!" "See

there!" "Look! Look!" accompanying every cry with a thrust of their pike-pole or paddle, as if they were the spears with which, before the laws interposed, they were wont to fill their canoes during their night forays. Fortunately, only two fish were hit-one with a pike-pole, thrown out as a spear, and another scooped up with a gaff while boat and fish were both in rapid motion. This latter achievement was hailed with shouts of delight by all the Indians, and Jack, by whom the extraordinary feat was performed, held the struggling fish high above his head, while thus impaled, exclaiming as he did so: "Ah! ha! what you say now? who the best gaffer, eh? what Indian can beat that, eh?" No champion of the ring ever manifested greater delight when awarded the belt than did Jack when he gaffed this salmon on the wing. We were mortified and angered, of course, that our peremptory orders had been, in these two cases, disobeyed; but we could not but admire Jack's skill, and enjoy the exhibition of Indian character which found expression during this exciting and never-to-be-forgotten flambeaux visit to the salmon pools of the Cascapedia.

It is only proper to say that we reported this illegitimate killing of two salmon to the Warden on our return, explaining the circumstances and expressing our mortification and regret. We prof

fered every reparation in our power, in the way of humble apology or pecuniary penalty, but we had not the heart to name the real delinquents; for we could not but believe that they were so beside themselves with excitement that they could not have been restrained by any authority. The Warden, of course, admonished us, as was his duty, but kindly consented to overlook the delinquency in view of the frankness of our confession and the circumstances under which the delinquency occurred.

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I had a glimpse of him, but he shot by me
Like a young hound upon a burning scent.

- [Dryden.

Know'st thou not any whom corrupting gold
Would tempt into a close exploit of death?
-[Shakspeare.

[graphic]

EER were at one time very abundant in this region, but merciless hunting at all seasons has either extinguished or driven them to other feeding-grounds less accessible to their inhuman enemies. It is, however, the Bears' paradise. They seem to have a penchant for the sheepfolds lying on forest borders. Every farmer considers a bear-trap as necessary as a plow, and captures are frequent.

Our first camp was in the neighborhood of several farms where bruin had marauded successfully. DUN, being the most ambitious hunter in the party, was in constant expectation of an opportu

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