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.

TIHE RIE _RI3IAOK RIVER;
the less line you throw into the water the better. The other
reason is, that, as a general rule, the less line you have in the
water, the more natural will be the movement of your lure. Suppose the stream, at the spot where it alights, to be running at three
miles an hour, and that the upper part of your line falls where it is
running at six miles an hour, it is plain that your hook will be
dragged down in an unnatural, and, therefore, suspicious manner."
Game, of the larger varieties, is plenty in this great wilderness,
but on account of the almost inaccessible mountains, the deep
gorges, and the secluded glens, is not so easily taken as in some
other parts of the country. Margins of lakes, ponds, and watercourses are pathed by the deer, bear, and other animals. Deer,
being mild and harmless, have many enemies, not the least of which
is man. The natural defence of the deer agailnst a world of foes is
fleetness of foot; but the deep snows of winter in these high, northern latitudes sadly interfere with the rapidity of his locomotion, and
he. falls a victim to the appetite of many voracious brutes. At this
season of the year the habit of the deer is to "yard," as it is
called. Selecting, if possible, an extensive growth of low hemlock,
they assemble in small numbers, and, by moving about to browse
the branches, keep the snow trodden. If the depth of snow permits, they move as soon as they have trimmed this yard closely, but
a deep snow and a hard, thick crust are fatal if their retreat is discovered by man or hungry beasts; their weight and slurp hoofs
cutting through at every bound the soft, deep snow underneath,
leaving no solid basis to spring from. A man, living on tlhe eastern
border of the ungranted land, showed the party where he captured
seven in this manner, early in the day, a mile only firom his house,
the poor creatures being entirely helpless. Encamped in the solitary depths of this wide wilderness, with a few choice spirits, near
some tumbling torrent of sweet waters, whose liquid music, more
delicious than a viol, harp, or grand piano, lulls one to repose, far
away from the bustle, din, and strife of the great city; or with a
raft of logs - a pleasant but primitive mode of navigation - float on
the tranquil surface of the mountain pond, and see the blue sky and
fleecy clouds gaze down upon themselves in its clear depths, or the
bright stars, like glittering eyes of countless mermaids, flashing up
from the apparently unfathomable deep to snuff the sweet zephyrs
t
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