ould never be ascertained, and nobody gave it a second thought all
being now too much excited with the sport. The variety of the fish was
equal to the rapidity with which they were taken: basses, perch,
sun-fish, buffaloes, trouts, and twenty other sorts. In less than half
an hour my canoe was full to sinking: and I should certainly have sunk
with my cargo, had it not been most opportunely taken out by one of the
spare boats. All was high glee on shore and on the lake, and the scene
was now and then still diversified by comic accidents, causing the more
mirth, as there was no possibility of danger.

The canoe next to me was full to the gunwale, which was not two inches
above water: it contained the English traveller and a negro, who was
quite an original in his way. As fish succeeded to fish, their position
became exceedingly ludicrous: the canoe was positively sinking, and they
were lustily calling for assistance. The spare boat approached rapidly,
and had neared them to within five yards, when the Englishman's line was
suddenly jerked by a very heavy fish, and so unexpectedly, that the
sportsman lost his equilibrium and fell upon the larboard side of
the canoe.

The negro, wishing to restore the equilibrium, threw his weight on the
opposite side; unluckily, this had been the simultaneous idea of his
white companion, who also rolled over the fish to starboard. The canoe
turned the turtle with them, and away went minnows, crawfish, lines,
men, and all. Everybody laughed most outrageously, as the occupants of
the canoe reappeared upon the surface of the water, and made straight
for the shore, not daring to trust to another canoe after their ducking.
The others continued fishing till about half-past nine, when the rays
of the sun were becoming so powerful as to compel us to seek shelter in
the tents.

If the scene on the lake had been exciting, it became not less so
on-shore, when all the negroes, male and female, crowding together,
began to scale, strip, and salt the fish. Each of them had an account to
give of some grand fishery, where a monstrous fish, a mile in length,
had been taken by some fortunate "Sambo" of the South. The girls gaped
with terror and astonishment, the men winking and trying to look grave,
while spinning these yarns, which certainly beat all the wonders of the
veracious Baron Munchausen.

The call to renew the sport broke off their ludicrous inventions. Our
fortune was as great as in the foreno