h from the mesh, and wading to the beach, gave it
to the little girl, who ran with it joyously to her mother. Meanwhile,
another and another fish was left by the tide, and Stanley soon after
brought up a splendid salmon of about twenty-five pounds weight, and
laid it at Edith's feet.

"Oh, how very beautiful!" cried the child, as she gazed in delight at
the silvery scales of the fish.

"My mind is much relieved by this, Jessie," said Stanley, reseating
himself on the keg, while Oostesimow and La Roche carried the fish
ashore as Gaspard freed them from the nets. "I now see that there are
plenty of fish in the river, and if the hunters bring in a good report
to-night, our anxiety on the score of food will be quite removed."

Although none of the party had ever set a net on stakes before, they had
frequently heard of this manner of fishing, and their first attempt
proved eminently successful. At low tide stakes had been driven into
the sand, extending from the edge of the water towards high-water mark.
On these the nets had been spread, and thus the misfortune which had
attended the setting of the nets with floats and sinkers was avoided.
The quantity of fish taken gave promise of an ample supply for the
future. There were two Hearne-salmon (that is, spotted like trout), and
one large common salmon, besides thirty white-fish, averaging between
two to six pounds weight each, all of which were in excellent condition.
The white-fish is of the salmon species, but white in the flesh, and
being less rich than the salmon, is much preferred by those who have to
use it constantly as an article of food.

"This is a most fortunate supply," remarked Stanley, "and will prevent
the necessity of putting the men on short allowance."

"Short allowance!" exclaimed his wife; "I thought we had more than
enough of food to last us till the arrival of the ship."

"Ay, so we have. But until now I did not feel at liberty to use it; for
if through any accident the ship does not come, and if there had chanced
to be no fish in the river, the only course open to us would be to
retrace our steps, and as that would be a long and slow process, we
would require to economise our food. In fact, I had resolved to begin
operations by putting the men on short allowance; but this haul of fish
shows me that we shall have more than enough.

"But who comes here?" he added, on observing the figure of a man
approaching the camp. "He seems to carry a bu