Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-06-07

to have an ample supply before drop
ing in the hooks,
After passing the Branch, which, by-the-
way, looked little too large for my skill,
we reached u small brook at just 10 o.
clock. The brook, which took its rise in a
small upland grove, was used as it passed down
near the branch for the irrigation of the soil,
and as it divided the gardens in the neighbour
hood was well supplied upon either side with
and artichokes. The first thing
was to secure some poles, for we were not pro-
vIded with the well vanished rods and plated
sockets that are now within the grasp of every
school boy kept an eye out upon the selec-
ton of my friend, meaning to profit by all his
movements found to my surprise that he
selected dry stick, some eight Or ten feet in
lengh one or two inches in diameter at either
end to which, at little more than midway
distance, he suspended line of the largest
mackerel size, and hook of no ordinary di.
mansions to match, and with stable stone
hook, for u sin4er, my friend announced him
self ready for the sport. Thinks [ to myself
Old telIow, you d make more swapping horses,
but after all, this may be some new process that
has sprung up since quit the business, so I
will say nothing but see how he succeeds. We
commenced dropping in the hooks When
could get in before him, which was very sci
dom, had the luck now and then to take u
small trout; but to follow after was like fishing
in the deuge No combined connection of
lightning, tempest and storm ever terrified fish
as he did. As often as approached within
hailng distance, | enquired, Z" What luck -
The answer was always the same" Not a
bite"
At length my friend became exhausted with
fishing, and sought nourishment amongst the
pennyroyal and artichokes | improved the
opportunity to secure some ten or twelve
little fellows, about three inches in length,
while my friend was Illustrating upon the roots
and herbs after having regained his wonted
vigor, he proposed that we try our luck in the
g Branch.
On our way to the Branch, | found by con-
vorsation with my friend, that the place chosen
for the application of the line to tho pole near
the centre, proceeded from an early practice of
weighing live stock, like sheep and swine, sus-
pended on stick supported at each end upon
human shoulders, while the steel-yards to
correct weight, and the nearer the wei
the support, the less liable the stick to break,
50 that upon scientific principles, upon which
he intended to act the loss Of trout by fail
ure of the pole was guarded against Howev-
er, as we were now about to try our luck in a
wider stream, I prevailed upon him to suspend
his line at the end of his stick (ior it could
hardly be called a pole,) and to exchange his
stone sinkor-about the size of hens egg
for one the size of bullett. | had, in fact,
by this time, become in my own Imagination
something of hero, and the lads looked up to
me as ii prodigy at fishing This gave me the
confidence to advise my friend, and as he by
this time looked upon me in about the same
light as did the boys, was very willing to
accept my advice, which never before presum-
ed to offer to any pupil of the Ike Walton
school. l soon took from the waters of the
Branch a larger trout than had before caught.
He would measure in length four inches, and
his proportions in other respects looked to me
enormous. But my friend succeeded in only
one thing, and that was in soaring the fish j,
which he did to perfection.
My sympathies were enlisted in his behalf
besides, my own success required that the fish
should be no longer frightened. Says I, Zeke,
let me see your hook. He drew it from the
water, and discovered at once that his worm
bait was up so high as to expose the monstrous
barb and point of the hook to the full gaze of
the trout No wonder, remarked that you
can get no bites Why do you put on your
bait in this way. Says he, always keep the
point clean, so as to stick fast in the trout
when he attacks the hook. Iapplied bait to
his hook in the usual manner, and he finally
succeeded in taking one small sucker, which
was glory enough for one day
In helping him secure his g sucker" made
mis-step, and after getting precipitated into
mud and mire, and extricatng myself there
from, we returned to our lodgings, tired and
hungry, with thirteen small trout and Que
sucker.
For seven long years after this excursion,
when met my friend he was mum on the SUBJ
ject of fishing. At length CHANGED to fall in
with him on the st. Lawrence River, in 1859,
and he there found that the trolling for picker