There were two varieties of trout in the lake,—what it seems proper to
call silver trout and golden trout; the former were the slimmer, and
seemed to keep apart from the latter. Starting from the outlet and
working round on the eastern side toward the head, we invariably caught
these first. They glanced in the sun like bars of silver. Their sides
and bellies were indeed as white as new silver. As we neared the head,
and especially as we came near a space occupied by some kind of
watergrass that grew in the deeper part of the lake, the other variety
would begin to take the hook, their bellies a bright gold color, which
became a deep orange on their fins; and as we returned to the place of
departure with the bottom of the boat strewn with these bright forms
intermingled, it was a sight not soon to be forgotten. It pleased my
eye so, that I would fain linger over them, arranging them in rows and
studying the various hues and tints. They were of nearly a uniform
size, rarely one over ten or under eight inches in length, and it
seemed as if the hues of all the precious metals and stones were
reflected from their sides. The flesh was deep salmon-color; that of
brook trout is generally much lighter. Some hunters and fishers from
the valley of the Mill Brook, whom we met here, told us the trout were
much larger in the lake, though far less numerous than they used to be.
Brook trout do not grow large till they become scarce. It is only in
streams that have been long and much fished that I have caught them as
much as sixteen inches in length.
The “porcupigs” were numerous about the lake, and not at all shy. One
night the heat became so intolerable in our oven-shaped bough house
that I was obliged to withdraw from under its cover and lie down a
little to one side. Just at daybreak, as I lay rolled in my blanket,
something awoke me. Lifting up my head, there was a porcupine with his
forepaws on my hips. He was apparently as much surprised as I was; and
to my inquiry as to what he at that moment might be looking for, he did
not pause to reply, but hitting me a slap with his tail which left
three or four quills in my blanket, he scampered off down the hill into
the brush.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account