Gaut Gurley; Or, the Trappers of Umbagog: A Tale of Border LifeThompson, Daniel P. (Daniel Pierce)
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Gaut Gurley; Or, the Trappers of Umbagog: A Tale of Border Life
Thompson, Daniel P. (Daniel Pierce)
Frontier and pioneer life -- Fiction; Maine -- Fiction; Trappers -- Fiction
"I? No; I would as soon think of fishing now on the top of these hills.
Besides this, I have a different object. I am bound to carry home something
that will pass for fresh meat, if it is nothing but a coon. I shall haul up
my canoe somewhere about here; follow up the lake-shore a mile or so, with
the idea of catching a deer in the edge of the water, come there to keep
off the flies; then, perhaps, cross over to the Magalloway, down that, and
over to this place; when, by way of topping off, I will show you, by that
time, if you are about here so long, how trout are taken."
So saying, the hunter dipped his springy oar into the water, and, with a
few vigorous strokes, sent his canoe to the shore, and, having moored it to
a root, he glided into the thickets, and disappeared with a tread so
noiseless as to leave Claud, for many minutes, wholly in doubt whether the
man was standing still in the bushes or proceeding on his excursion.
It was now noon, and Claud, seeing no prospect of any immediate success in
his piscatory employment, which had been made to appear to him, by the
remarks of the hunter, more discouraging than ever, drew up his anchor, and
rowed to a point of the shore which was embowered by a group of magnificent
pines. Here, finding a cool spring, as well as a refreshing shade, he drew
out his lunch, and very leisurely proceeded to discuss it, with the
ice-cold water of the spring by which he had seated himself for the
purpose. His fare was coarse; but it was partaken with a relish of which
those who have never experienced the effects of the air and exercise,
incident to a life in the woods, can have no just conception; and to which
the palled appetite of the
"vain lords of luxury and ease,
Whom slumber soothes not, pleasure cannot please,"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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