The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-26
A PRETTY coon CATCH.
A Forest, a Million or More of Fish
and Immortality All Figure I'm This

A Forest, a Million More of Fish
and Immortality All Figure I'm This
story.
From the London Fishing Gazette.
Yes" said the Major, as he lighted
his cigar, at was up In Canada, when
/ was quartered there in SS. We had
got six months leave, and went UP the
river In little sailing boat.
"As luck would have 1t, we ran
aground while trying rather difficult
bit OF navigation, and damaged our
craft so much that there was no going
on in her.
However, we struck a settlers hut
not far away and put up with him for
a day or two while he helped us to re-
pair the boat.
Just before we left he asked us IL
we should like some fishing on a lake
| a few miles away. 1t belongs to me-,
any one else for that matter. In fact,
don't believe it has ever been touched
since the days OF creation
I'VE jumped at this offer. naturally,
and he lent us his boat-something be-
tween a punt and a canoe, but very
light and easy to carry. Accordingly
we stocked her with provisions, and
started off.
1--WE got there in the evening, or
what we imagined to be there, for as to
seeing the lake IL was impossible, SO
thick was the forest that grew around
it. But we could tell by the Jay of the
trees that there was a piece OF water
there.
Well, gentlemen, we started cutting
our way through. Ever seen a prim-
eval forest? l expect not. 1t took us
two days and a half, which will give
you some idea of what we had to go
through. We would cut our way for
hundred yards or so and then come
back and fetch the boat to the fur
thest point that we had cleared. At
night we camped under IT on the spot
where we had knocked off work for the
day.
I'VE got there at last, however, and
found lake about FIVE miles long by
three broad. A nice bit of water II
looked, and we got out IN the boat
and started fishing about 10 o'clock one
morning.
Now, gentlemen, / have not the
slightest wish to exaggerate, but any
fool could have caught fish in. that
lake. assure you, upon my word of
honor, that had we been absolute now
ices we could, If we had been able to
cast couple of thousand flies on the
water al the same time, have hooked
a couple of thousand trout.
THE result was that after about two
hours of 1t we began to get exhausted.
My arms were aching. and l could
hardly hold the rod. We agreed to
knock off. But just as we were about
to make for the shore we discovered
that a terrible thing had happened.
We had filled the boat so full OF fish
that 1t was beginning to sink.
There was only one thing to do.
Here we were in the middle of a big
lake In a boat that was rapidly filing.
We commenced to shove out fish as
fast as we could. Perhaps some OF
you have been In a leaking boat and
tried to bale her out against time when
you know that the water is gaining on
you every minute. Well, that was
just our state, only we were baling
out fish instead of water"
did you get shore without a duck
ing?" some one asked, when he SEEM
ed to have finished.
Yes" said the major eve just man
aged IT, But that was not the most
wonderful part of the whole thing"
A chorus Of questions assailed him.
We'll" said he, the extraordinary
part Of II was this. Every one on the
fish that we threw overheard revived
and swan away as II nothing had hap
pened. They had been there for so
man centuries that they had become
immortal"