Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-06-25

slung our fish across the horses, tying
them together with long grass. There
were only two of them under six pounds
weight. The IceIanders call this fish
siIusqr, though what they are [ don't
know. Their backs are Drownish gray,
and their bellies like the red gold of a
goldfish. The flesh is somewhat similar
| to salmon, but apt to be dry. They run
to great size, for the monster that broke
nv rod weighed Il should imagine) at
least TWENTY-FIVE pounds. As for the flies
that I had heard so much of, l ceased to
trouble about them, as the drizzIing rain
had efectually kept them Off, indeed,
hey existed at all.
On Saturday morning Bjarni and I
started off again to the lake when I had
mended nv rod and made it Quite
secure. As I had caught so many fish
on the previous day with the Indifferent
assistance of my friend the farmer, l I'M
agined that I might Go twice as well with
the help Of the experienced Bjarni.
Off we went in the burning sun. and
rode briskly up toward the high grounds
from which we could see the outline of
the lake. As we reached the summit of
the line of hills overlooking the water
we perceived a sort Of mist hanging over
the shore.
ooh, Helvetan' said Bjarni, "the flies
are up"
We rode on, and shortly became en-
veloped in myriads of flies. Every min
ute thew multiplied by thousands: and nv
the time we had reached the banks of the
river, which flows out of the lake. we
were almost invisible to one another.
[ had Just begun to feel hundreds of
sharp little stings when a brisk breeze
came off the water and scattered our en-
emies, and in two minutes we were able
to breathe again.
"Bjarni," said l, if this is the ort of
thing, I shall go back"
"Oh," said he, {" it won't be so bad at
the big water; besides, the sun has gone
inn
Well, I listened to the voice of the
charmer, and was persuaded to go on.
As it happened, few clouds came up
over the hills, so that when we reached
the banks of the lake our enemies were
comparatively few. The horses were
turned loose to Craze, and, when the rod
was put up, we clambered down the
rocks to commence operations.
I had Just hooked fish, when all in a
llOI1Cub a Der
fectly tropical heat upon the mountains,
and-I can find no other expression for it
-" the devil was unclaimed" What we
had experienced half an hour previously
was simply laughable to what we now
endured; from the earth, the grass, the
rocks-in fact, from everywhere-arosea
living fog of countless myriads of long
winged flies.
7.
was useless to attempt to beat them of.
We had our handkerchiefs out in a
moment, and tied them round our heads,
leaving a small slit for one eye to see
through; and to make matters more
secure, l fixed my eye glass in the ex-
posed eve. We pulled our socks up over
our trousers, put the wading-bCOts over
the socks, tied strings round our sleeves,
and attempted to get away.
This was easier said than done, for our
poor horses, maddened by the attacks of
these vOraCiOus creatures, had gallOped
away, and we dared not peep out of our
head-dreSseS for more than half q second
at time to look for them. NV broad
brimmed hat was weighed down upon
my shoulders by the heaving masses Of
these insects. Not a spot of the color of
my coat was visible; and, had [ met my
servant suddenly in other circumstances,
| should not have known him to be a
man. He was one uniform gray from
head to foot; the slope of his shoulders
being continuous with the sides Of his
head, he had the appearance OF a man
wrapped in a living cloak, and, as he
walked, solid Jumps Of flies fell from his
back on to the ground. To those who
have seen bees swarming it will not be
difficult matter either to picture to them
selves the appearance of these cOnglOm-
erations of insects, or to understand the
wretched pickle they involved us in.
made desperate attempt to gather
my things together, but / simply could
not, and, rod in hand, turned and fled up
the hillside as hard as I could go for
more than mile. On a crag l sat down
and rested, free from my tormentors, and
at my ease watched the unhappy Bjarni,
a mere Speck in the distance, rushing up
and down the long valley like lunatic,
IN vain efforts to catch the horses.
At last he secured them, and brought
them up the hill They were covered
with blood and much frightened, Muir
der's white coat showing the sanguinary
stains very wildly. His eyes were swol-
ICu anu AuII Vi lies, dS were Tie uOStII1S
of both.
Poor Bjarni! when [ told him that I
had left my rod-case, straps, fishing book,
ETC., on the bank, he was much discon-
certed. In the bravest way, however, he
went back and recovered them. would
not have gone on any consideration.
When we got home, discovered that l
had been served pretty roughly; for not
only had l to change everything, as be-
tween each article Of clothing was a COM
plete paste of hundreds of smashed flies
a natural blister, in fact-but my face,
neck and wrists were swollen dreadfully
and covered with bites, and my right
arm was one fierce rash from the Shout
der downward.-A Painters Journey 5n
Iceland.
! California Story.