The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-09-12

kicking, my guide skinned them, while L.
fried them and SO we had a jolly supper.
You know, of course, that those large
white perch, are nearly as good as trout.
We took our birches next morning, and
visited the south Twin Lake, beautiful
sheet Of water some 10 miles or more
long. There scene presented itself
which will leave its picture on the memo
ry and heart for life time.
Katadin, though some 30 miles of,
seemed but 6, and as We glided slowly
over the lake, the surface smooth as a
mirror, we heard low growl, and look
ing toward the mountain, saw that the
old fellow was summoning his elements
of wrath. In an hour the whole northern
heaven was one black exparse-inky
black, with here and there angry dull
grey patches-the lightning flying in all
directions across the darkness, the noun
tain enveloped from sight in his own
wrath, and all coming toward as in such
awful majesty as to threaten US with
lake grave, but we used our paddles
slowly and looked on. The cloud came
on until it got within two yards of the
sun lit was 3 o'clock } and there it paused,
and for an hour we sat and gazed upon
the picture. The sun shone upon the
smooth waters, unruflled by any breath
of air: the unbroken forests Of green,
shaded with hemlock and spruce, lay
before us; while, just at our back, the
grandest artillery practice was in full
play, the reports, not dying away in
rumbling sound as with us here, but in
sharp clap after clap until lost from
the ear. That was the grandest scene l
ever looked upon. Well, shot some ducks
and passed back to camp, meeting brush
Of rain and wind on the way. In brief,
we continued going up from day to day.
trying for trout up all the rapids and find
ing none. While rounding a point in
Ambigeges Lake, three canoes suddenly
came in sight We saluted each other in
good style and found them to be four Har-
ward students in two canoes with their
guide in another. They were on their re-
turn trip. We were glad to hear them
say that they had found trout at Aball-
Jackanajus. Had some more carries, and
some more camps in our rout and at last
came to the mouth Of Aball "a small river
which takes its rise among the foot hills Of
Katadin, andhows into the Penobscot. J
There We tried for trout, and such trout
ing My guide held the birch with his
"setting poe," and l used my little 10
ounce fly rod Had three flies on my leader.
The guides thought my little mere
whip Of a rod would not do much, and
more than in sinuated that "s;ience'
in fishing did not amount to much. But
when they saw me fasten three trout,
weighing from one and one-haf to
three pounds, at one cast of my flies,
and saw me handle them with my
little dainty rod with perfect ease and
grace. playing with them, with all
their frantic and varied efforts to brake
away, and finally bringing them up to the
side of the birch as tame as kittens, and
without the help Of landing net or jaff or
guide, and land them safely at my feet,
without scarcely moving the ticklish
birch, the guides just opened their eyes
and yielded the pint.
T | took in four triplets in like manner
: landed pairs at time too often to
count, and did not lose fish in :" land
!, ing" that reminder of. My guide-au
old one, had never seen things done at
that rate before. Neither had T., who
, had previously talked contemtuously of
my little one hand rod, but when they
fastened, he and guides had nothing tc
: say against my little whip" and will
, not forever more. l think l stand at the
: head of our angling fraternity mot in skill
by any means, but as being able to tell
} Of the biggest feat in landisg trout OF
, any one occasion. Well, l won't say
, more on that point now, lest you will
think me cgotistic, and that would be a
, calamity. We are camped at this time
twelve miles from Katadin, which seemed
to the eye about two or three. had beer
, threatening for some days back to try his
5 rocky sides and mount his bald and rug.
r ged head. l had slaughtered all the
trout l cared to, and done il handsomely
} So at supper that evening l talked Kata
, din. My guide had never been on the
, mountain, T.'s guide had | asked T. te
D 60 next morning. He thought it would
. be too hard for him, and his guide who
: had tried it himself, told him not to think
0 of trying it. We'll, said l have come
, all this distance to the foot Of the noun
r tain, have been looking at him, as he ma
. jesticaly smiled and majestically threat
y ened, and I'm not going now to turn my
back upon him and 60 all the way home
without an attempt to put my feet on his
e old Uranium. so Ben" (guide) pre-
/ pare for an early start tomorrow morn
9 ing. Us guide said, Mr.. s. is bound t'
e 60 and therefore tits of no use to say more
e Next morning was clear and for tn,
= first and only time while away | did no
D feel WELL Ate but little break fast, thel
v took my rifle and a little satchel will
/. hard bread and raw pork, and hottie o
g wa,er-a la Hager-and we struck thu
J, forrest. No path, and for the most of tn
s way no trail. My guide was stronl
i man, used to tramping, in fact, simply |
e two-legged moose, and so he very unwise
d ly pushed on too fast at the start. w
= walked four hours, l wearing rubbe
h boots which were heavy, and at last 60
: to tho top of the foot hills, the bottom
of the great slide. This slide is iron
: 200 to 800 feet wide, which some year
It ago started from the top of vegetation
l. carrying trees, boulders, and gravel dow
q the mountain-side, and over the foot hill
d SO that you can see it as far as you cal
IF see the mountain. When we got to tn
e foot Of it found myself very tired ,whil
1t the great climb lay all before us Their
e we should have camped for the rest o
n the day and night, as is usually done
Is ate some hard bread and pork, and dranl
o some water and faced the rugged slide