The Merrimack River: its source and its tributaries. Embracing a history of manufactures, and of the towns along its course; their geography, topography, and products, with a description of the magnificent natural scenery about its upper waters./ By J. W. Meader.

ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
well-fished river. If your lure falls lightly, and, consequently,
naturally, within an inch or so of the trout, his instinct will lead
him instantly to snap at it. If the lure be a bait, he will proceed
to gor,ge after catching it, provided he does not feel the line tighten,
or see you, when he will instantly let go his hold if he can. An
artificial fly, however, he will reject the instant hlie touches it;
hence the importance of quick, natural, and well-trained eyesight, in
this branch of trout-angling, to enable you to strike the instant he
touches the hook,- that is, before you have felt anything. If your
first intimation of the trout's attack in fly-fishing comes from
your sense of touch, as is the case with ninety-nine anglers out
of a hundred, you need not strike at all, -hlie has either hooked
himself, or else hlie is gone.
Suppose, however, that you bungle your cast, and the lure falls
five or six inches from the trout, he will then most likely dart at it,
but the odds are a hundred to one that he will become suspicious,
and. turn tail before reaching it. Ile will have had time to take
stock of the line, the shadow of the rod, and very likely of yourself. I have, hundreds of times, on making a false throw, seen the
trout dart from his lair, with the view of seizing the lure, then
catch sight of the line, and wheel back, quick as lightning, to his
hiding-place. In fishing,-pools. where the trout are digging in the
banks for worms, the most absolute precision of throw is requisite;
because the water being still, and probably six or eight inches deep
about the edge,- if deeper than this you will do nothing,- the
line will certainly be seen; and if you give the trout a second for
reflection, he will infallibly say,'No, thank you,' to your proffered
morsel.
"When the streams are low and clear, there is nothing more
important than fine tackle; the finest, ro?ttdest gut that can be
obtained to be used, and the joinings should be firmly and neatly
knotted. Never use loops. A loop is an abomination in the eyes
of a well-fed lowland trout. It is undoubtedly curious that when a
trout will confidently seize a minnow, or a worm, with two or three
hooks sticking through it, the sight of a bit of coarse or flat gut
will terrify him out of his wits, or, to speak more correctly, perhaps,
will terrify him into them. It is certainly true, however, that line,
and not hooks, is what he dreads. For this, and for another reason,
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