the complete writings-3-第5部分

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ke　were　a　vast　kettle；　with　a　fire　underneath。　　A　tyro　would　have　been　astonished　at　this　common　phenomenon；　but　sportsmen　will　at　once　understand　me　when　I　say　that　the　water　boiled　with　the　breaking　trout。　　I　studied　the　surface　for　some　time　to　see　upon　what　sort　of　flies　they　were　feeding；　in　order　to　suit　my　cast　to　their　appetites；　but　they　seemed　to　be　at　play　rather　than　feeding；　leaping　high　in　the　air　in　graceful　curves；　and　tumbling　about　each　other　as　we　see　them　in　the　Adirondack　pictures。

It　is　well　known　that　no　person　who　regards　his　reputation　will　ever　kill　a　trout　with　anything　but　a　fly。　　It　requires　some　training　on　the　part　of　the　trout　to　take　to　this　method。　　The　uncultivated；　unsophisticated　trout　in　unfrequented　waters　prefers　the　bait；　and　the　rural　people；　whose　sole　object　in　going　a…fishing　appears　to　be　to　catch　fish；　indulge　them　in　their　primitive　taste　for　the　worm。　No　sportsman；　however；　will　use　anything　but　a　fly；　except　he　happens　to　be　alone。

While　Luke　launched　my　boat　and　arranged　his　seat　in　the　stern；　I　prepared　my　rod　and　line。　　The　rod　is　a　bamboo；　weighing　seven　ounces；　which　has　to　be　spliced　with　a　winding　of　silk　thread　every　time　it　is　used。　　This　is　a　tedious　process；　but；　by　fastening　the　joints　in　this　way；　a　uniform　spring　is　secured　in　the　rod。　　No　one　devoted　to　high　art　would　think　of　using　a　socket　joint。　　My　line　was　forty　yards　of　untwisted　silk　upon　a　multiplying　reel。　　The　〃leader〃　（I　am　very　particular　about　my　leaders）　had　been　made　to　order　from　a　domestic　animal　with　which　I　had　been　acquainted。　　The　fisherman　requires　as　good　a　catgut　as　the　violinist。　　The　interior　of　the　house　cat；　it　is　well　known；　is　exceedingly　sensitive；　but　it　may　not　be　so　well　known　that　the　reason　why　some　cats　leave　the　room　in　distress　when　a　piano…forte　is　played　is　because　the　two　instruments　are　not　in　the　same　key；　and　the　vibrations　of　the　chords　of　the　one　are　in　discord　with　the　catgut　of　the　other。　　On　six　feet　of　this　superior　article　I　fixed　three　artificial　flies；a　simple　brown　hackle；　a　gray　body　with　scarlet　wings；　and　one　of　my　own　invention；　which　I　thought　would　be　new　to　the　most　experienced　fly…catcher。　The　trout…fly　does　not　resemble　any　known　species　of　insect。　　It　is　a　〃conventionalized〃　creation；　as　we　say　of　ornamentation。　　The　theory　is　that；　fly…fishing　being　a　high　art；　the　fly　must　not　be　a　tame　imitation　of　nature；　but　an　artistic　suggestion　of　it。　　It　requires　an　artist　to　construct　one；　and　not　every　bungler　can　take　a　bit　of　red　flannel；　a　peacock's　feather；　a　flash　of　tinsel　thread；　a　cock's　plume；　a　section　of　a　hen's　wing；　and　fabricate　a　tiny　object　that　will　not　look　like　any　fly；　but　still　will　suggest　the　universal　conventional　fly。

I　took　my　stand　in　the　center　of　the　tipsy　boat；　and　Luke　shoved　off；　and　slowly　paddled　towards　some　lily…pads；　while　I　began　casting；　unlimbering　my　tools；　as　it　were。　　The　fish　had　all　disappeared。　I　got　out；　perhaps；　fifty　feet　of　line；　with　no　response；　and　gradually　increased　it　to　one　hundred。　　It　is　not　difficult　to　learn　to　cast；　but　it　is　difficult　to　learn　not　to　snap　off　the　flies　at　every　throw。　　Of　this；　however；　we　will　not　speak。　　I　continued　casting　for　some　moments；　until　I　became　satisfied　that　there　had　been　a　miscalculation。　　Either　the　trout　were　too　green　to　know　what　I　was　at；　or　they　were　dissatisfied　with　my　offers。　　I　reeled　in；　and　changed　the　flies　（that　is；　the　fly　that　was　not　snapped　off）。　　After　studying　the　color　of　the　sky；　of　the　water；　and　of　the　foliage；　and　the　moderated　light　of　the　afternoon；　I　put　on　a　series　of　beguilers；　all　of　a　subdued　brilliancy；　in　harmony　with　the　approach　of　evening。　At　the　second　cast；　which　was　a　short　one；　I　saw　a　splash　where　the　leader　fell；　and　gave　an　excited　jerk。　　The　next　instant　I　perceived　the　game；　and　did　not　need　the　unfeigned　〃dam〃　of　Luke　to　convince　me　that　I　had　snatched　his　felt　hat　from　his　head　and　deposited　it　among　the　lilies。　　Discouraged　by　this；　we　whirled　about；　and　paddled　over　to　the　inlet；　where　a　little　ripple　was　visible　in　the　tinted　light。　At　the　very　first　cast　I　saw　that　the　hour　had　come。　　Three　trout　leaped　into　the　air。　　The　danger　of　this　manoeuvre　all　fishermen　understand。　　It　is　one　of　the　commonest　in　the　woods：　three　heavy　trout　taking　hold　at　once；　rushing　in　different　directions；　smash　the　tackle　into　flinders。　　I　evaded　this　catch；　and　threw　again。　　I　recall　the　moment。　　A　hermit　thrush；　on　the　tip　of　a　balsam；　uttered　his　long；　liquid；　evening　note。　　Happening　to　look　over　my　shoulder；　I　saw　the　peak　of　Marcy　gleam　rosy　in　the　sky　（I　can't　help　it　that　Marcy　is　fifty　miles　off；　and　cannot　be　seen　from　this　region：　these　incidental　touches　are　always　used）。　　The　hundred　feet　of　silk　swished　through　the　air；　and　the　tail…fly　fell　as　lightly　on　the　water　as　a　three…cent　piece　（which　no　slamming　will　give　the　weight　of　a　ten）　drops　upon　the　contribution　plate。　　Instantly　there　was　a　rush；　a　swirl。　　I　struck；　and　〃Got　him；　by…！〃　　Never　mind　what　Luke　said　I　got　him　by。　　〃Out　on　a　fly！〃　continued　that　irreverent　guide；　but　I　told　him　to　back　water；　and　make　for　the　center　of　the　lake。　The　trout；　as　soon　as　he　felt　the　prick　of　the　hook；　was　off　like　a　shot；　and　took　out　the　whole　of　the　line　with　a　rapidity　that　made　it　smoke。　　〃Give　him　the　butt！〃　shouted　Luke。　　It　is　the　usual　remark　in　such　an　emergency。　　I　gave　him　the　butt；　and；　recognizing　the　fact　and　my　spirit；　the　trout　at　once　sank　to　the　bottom；　and　sulked。　　It　is　the　most　dangerous　mood　of　a　trout；　for　you　cannot　tell　what　he　will　do　next。　　We　reeled　up　a　little；　and　waited　five　minutes　for　him　to　reflect。　　A　tightening　of　the　line　enraged　him；　and　he　soon　developed　his　tactics。　　Coming　to　the　surface；　he　made　straight　for　the　boat　faster　than　I　could　reel　in；　and　evidently　with　hostile　intentions。　　〃Look　out　for　him！〃　cried　Luke　as　he　came　flying　in　the　air。　　I　evaded　him　by　dropping　flat　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　and；　when　I　picked　my　traps　up；　he　was　spinning　across　the　lake　as　if　he　had　a　new　idea：　but　the　line　was　still　fast。　　He　did　not　run　far。　　I　gave　him　the　butt　again；　a　thing　he　seemed　to　hate；　even　as　a　gift。　In　a　moment　the　evil…minded　fish；　lashing　the　water　in　his　rage；　was　coming　back　again；　making　straight　for　the　boat　as　before。　　Luke；　who　was　used　to　these　encounters；　having　read　of　them　in　the　writings　of　travelers　he　had　accompanied；　raised　his　paddle　in　self…defense。　　The　trout　left　the　water　about　ten　feet　from　the　boat；　and　came　directly　at　me　with　fiery　eyes；　his　speckled　sides　flashing　like　a　meteor。　　I　dodged　as　he　whisked　by　with　a　vicious　slap　of　his　bifurcated　tail；　and　nearly　upset　the　boat。　　The　line　was　of　course　slack；　and　the　danger　was　that　he　would　entangle　it　about　me；　and　carry　away　a　leg。　This　was　evidently　his　game；　but　I　untangled　it；　and　only　lost　a　breast　button　or　two　by　the　swiftly…moving　string。　　The　trout　plunged　into　the　water　with　a　hissing　sound；　and　went　away　again　with　all　the　line　on　the　reel。　　More　butt；　more　indignation　on　the　part　of　the　captive。　　The　contest　had　now　been　going　on　for　half　an　hour；　and　I　was　getting　exhausted。　　We　had　been　back　and　forth　across　the　lake；　and　round　and　round　the　lake。　　What　I　feared　was　that　the　trout　would　start　up　the　inlet　and　wreck　us　in　the　bushes。　　But　he　had　a　new　fancy；　and　began　the　execution　of　a　manoeuvre　which　I　had　never　read　of。　　Instead　of　coming　straight　towards　me；　he　took　a　large　circle；　swimming　rapidly；　and　gradually　contracting　his　orbit。　　I　reeled　in；　and　kept　my　eye　on　him。　　Round　and　round　he　went；　narrowing　his　circle。　　I　began　to　suspect　the　game；　which　was；　to　twist　my　head　off。When　he　had　reduced　the　radius　of　his　circle　to　about　twenty…　five　feet；　he　struck　a　tremendous　pace　through　the　water。　　It　would　be　false　modesty　in　a　sportsman　to　say　that　I　was　not　equal　to　the　occasion。　　Instead　of　turning　round　with　him；　as　he　expected；　I　stepped　to　the　bow；　braced　myself；　and　let　the　boat　swing。　　Round　went　the　fish；　and　round　we　went　like　a　top。　　I　saw　a　line　of　Mount　Marcys　all　round　the　horizon；　the　rosy　tint　in　the　west　made　a　broad　band　of　pink　along　the　sky　above　the　tree…tops；　the　evening　star　was　a　perfect　circle　of　light；　a　hoop　of　gold　in　the　heavens。　　We　whirled　and　reeled；　and　reeled　and　whirled。　　I　was　willing　to　give　the　malicious　beast　butt　and　line；　and　all；　if　he　would　only　go　the　other　way　for　a　change。

When　I　came　to　myself；　Luke　was　gaffing　the　trout　at　the　boat…side。　After　we　had　got　him　in　and　dressed　him；　he　weighed　three…quarters　of　a　pound。　　Fish　always　lose　by　being　〃got　in　and　dressed。〃　　It　is　best　to　weigh　them　while　they　are　in　the　water。　　The　only　really　large　one　I　ever　caught　got　away　with　my　leader　when　I　first　struck　him。　　He　weighed　ten　pounds。




IV

A…HUNTING　OF　THE　DEER

If　civilization　owes　a　debt　of　gratitude　to　the　self…sacrificing　sportsmen　who　have　cleared　the　Adirondack　regions　of　catamounts　and　savage　trout；　what　shall　be　said　of　the　army　which　has　so　nobly　relieved　them　of　the　terror　of　the　deer？　　The　deer…slayers　have　somewhat　celebrated　their　exploits　in　print；　but　I　think　that　justice　has　never　been　done　them。

The　American　deer　in　the　wilderness；　left　to　himself；　leads　a　comparatively　harmless　but　rather　stupid　life；　with　only　such　excitement　as　his　own　timid　fancy　raises。　　It　was　very　seldom　that　one　of　his　tribe　was　eaten　by　the　North　American　tiger。　　For　a　wild　animal　he　is　very　domestic；　simple　in　his　tastes；　regular　in　his　habits；　affectionate　in　his　family。　　Unfortunately　for　his　repose；　his　haunch　is　as　tender　as　his　heart。　　Of　all　wild　creatures　he　is　one　of　the　most　graceful　in　action；　and　he　poses　with　the　skill　of　an　experienced　model。　　I　have　seen　the　goats　on　Mount　Pentelicus　scatter　at　the　approach　of　a　stranger；　climb　to　the　sharp　points　of　projecting　rocks；　and　attitudinize　in　the　most　self…conscious　manner；　striking　at　once　those　picturesque　postures　against　the　sky　with　which　Oriental　pictures　have　made　us　and　them　familiar。　　But　the　whole　proceeding　was　theatrical。

Greece　is　the　home　of　art；　and　it　is　rare　to　find　anything　there　natural　and　unstudied。　　I　presume　that　these　goats　have　no　nonsense　about　them　when　they　are　alone　with　the　goatherds；　any　more　th