e fish were plenty. We
took with us lines, made out of the wild flax that grows in the valley,
and which, Mary tells us, is found in all countries that border upon the
Rocky Mountains. Our rods were long tapering canes such as grew in
abundance around us. For hooks we used pins bent into the proper shape;
and our bait consisted of a variety of worms. All these things were
carried by Harry and Frank, while Cudjo and I took the younger ones in
our arms, and Mary was left free to botanise as we passed along. Castor
and Pollux accompanied us of course; and Pompo, as he saw us leave the
house, ran neighing around his enclosure, as if quite vexed at our
leaving him behind. Cudjo, of course, became our guide, taking us
through the woods to that part of the stream where was his favourite
fishing-ground.

"After travelling at our leisure about a quarter of a mile, we were all
brought to a sudden halt by an exclamation from my wife, who stood
pointing at some trees a little to one side of the path.

"`What, mamma!' cried Harry, `another fine tree? Why, the real
bread-fruit and the cocoa-nuts will turn up yet, I believe, in spite of
our latitude.'

"`I am sorry for your sake, Harry,' replied his mamma, `as well as our
own, that I have not made the discovery of another fine tree. No, it is
quite another thing, and not a very useful discovery. But it may be
curious to you; and papa, here, can read you a chapter of natural
history upon it. It is in his line. It is a four-footed animal.'

"`Animal!' exclaimed Harry; `I see no animal. Where is it, mamma?'

"`Nor do I,' replied his mother; `but I see indications of the presence
of one, and a very destructive one, too. Look there!'

"As Mary said this, she pointed to a grove of young cotton-wood trees,
from which the bark and leaves were stripped off as cleanly as if they
had been gnawed by goats, or scraped with a knife. Some of the trees
were quite dead, while others of them were freshly peeled, and only
waited for a little time to go to decay also.

"`Oh, I see what you mean now, mamma,' said Harry. `Some animal has
done this--but what one? The beavers cannot climb; and I am sure
neither squirrels, raccoons, nor opossums, would take the bark from
trees in that manner.'

"`No; it was none of them. Your papa can best inform you what sort of
animal has been so destructive to these young trees, which, you
perceive, are of the beautiful cotton-wood species,--the _