them carried by two men of ordinary height, with a pole running through the gills and supported on the shoulders of the men. In this position the tail of the fish dragged on the ground. Forty or fifty pounds is not an unusual weight for them, and instances are known when much larger ones have been caught. Maskinonge are generally taken in seines, seldom with the hook. Their size is so large that the ordinary baits of anglers would be no temptation for them. In the several opportunities which I have had to examine the stomachs of these fish, I have invariably found within them fish of very large size, such as no angler would ever think of putting on his line. The largest perch I ever saw, about fifteen inches in length, was taken from the paunch of a maskinonge, and I have often seen catfish, perch, and other fish, weighing from one to two pounds, taken from them; but in no instance small fish; and hence anglers have not taken them, as few would angle with live bait of that size, where there are no fish but these which would take it.

The most exciting sport I ever had on the St. Lawrence, or anywhere else, was in taking a maskinonge. It was a regular battle, such only as the salmon anglers enjoy when they hook a twenty pounder. As the method was quite different, I will send you all the particulars.

A friend and myself took a small skiff, with one trolling line, intending to take turns at the oars, and proceeded at once to a favorite spot among the "Thousand Islands."

I held the trolling line with a spoon hook attached, while my companion pulled the oars. We sailed among the secluded places, wherever weeds were seen below the surface of the water, and were rewarded with good sport by taking several fine pike, weighing from six to fifteen pounds, which we managed to secure with ease, save the largest, which gave us some trouble. We then thought we would try deeper water, in the hope of tempting larger fish. A few windings among the clusters of small islands brought us to the channel of the river, when I directed my companion to increase the speed of our skiff, determined that the curiosity of no fish should be satisfied, without first tasting my gilded spoon. We pulled for half a mile, when the river wound suddenly round an island, which presented a bold shore, from the rushing of the river's current. The tall forest trees extended to the very brink of the river, over which they hung, throwing a deep shadow on the water. This quiet spot looked as though it might be an attractive one for some solitary fish, and we accordingly took a sweep around the foot of the island. Scarcely had we entered the deep shade spoken of, when I felt a tug at my line, which was so strong that I supposed my hook had come in contact with a floating log or fallen tree. My companion backed water with his oars to relieve my hook, when another violent pull at my line convinced me that it was no log, but some living creature of great weight. My line was already out its full length of a hundred and fifty feet; no alternative was therefore left but to give my fish more line by rowing after him.

This we did for a few minutes, when I began to pull in the slack of my line, some fifty feet or more, when I felt my fish. The check was no sooner felt by him than he started forward with a velocity scarcely conceivable in the water, bringing my line taut, and the next moment our skiff was moving off stern foremost towards the

river's channel. We soon perceived that our fish had turned his head up stream, and as the water was deep, there was no danger of his coming in contact with weeds or protruding rocks. We therefore allowed him to tow us for about five minutes, when he stopped. Then quickly backing water with our oars, and taking in our line, we carefully laid it over the skiff's side, until we had approached within twenty feet of our fish. I then gave him another check, which probably turned his head, for he again darted off in a contrary direction down stream. We pulled our skiff in the same direction as fast as possible to give the fish a good run before checking him again, but he soon had the line out its full length, and was again towing our skiff after him with more rapidity than before. This did not last long, however, for I then took the line and hauled towards him to lessen our distance. He made another slap, when I managed to keep my line taut, and with our oars moved towards him. Our victim now lay on the surface of the water with his belly upward, apparently exhausted, when we found him to be a maskinonge, between five and eight feet in length. We had no sooner got him alongside than he gave a slap with his tail and again darted off the whole length of the line, taking us once more in tow. His run was now short, and it was evident he was getting tired of the business. Again the line slacked and we drew the skiff up to the spot where he lay turned up on his back.

He now seemed so far gone that I thought we might draw him into our skiff, so I reached out my gaff and hooked him under the jaw, while my companion passed his oar under him. In this way we contrived to raise him over the gunwale of the skiff, when he slid to its bottom. I then placed my foot on the back of his head to hold him down, in order to disengage my hook, which passed through his upper jaw. No sooner had I attempted this than he began to flap about, compelling us to give him room to avoid his immense jaws. Every moment seemed to increase his strength, when my companion seized an oar in order to dispatch him, while I took out my knife for the same purpose. The first blow with the oar had only the effect to awaken our fish, which taking another and more powerful somerset, threw himself over the gunwale of our I skiff, which was but a few inches above the water, and with a plunge disappeared in the deep water at our side. We had scarcely recovered from our suprise, when I found my line drawn out again to its full length, save a few tangles and twists, which had got into it in the struggle between us and our fish. We determined to trifle no longer with the fellow, with our small skiff, but to make for the shore and there land him. A small island, a short distance from us, seemed to present a convenient place, and here without further ceremony we pulled, towing our fish after us. I leaped into the water about ten feet from the shore, and tugged away at my victim, who floated like a log upon the water, while my companion stood by with an oar to make the capture more sure this time. In this way we landed him in safety just one hour and a quarter after he was first hooked. This maskinonge weighed forty-nine pounds, and had within him a pike of three pounds weight, a chub, partially decomposed, of four pounds, and a perch of one and a half pounds, which appeared to have been but recently swallowed; yet this fish's appetite was not satisfied, and he lost his life in grasping

at a glittering bauble. Any person who has ever killed a pike of ten pounds or upwards, can readily imagine the strength of one five times its weight.

The great strength of these fish was shown in a sporting adventure which happened to a friend of mine when spearing by torchlight. The person alluded to had never before tried his hand with the spear, although he was a skilful angler. On this occasion he had killed several fish, which he secured without trouble. He was then in about six or eight feet of water, when he discovered a large fish, either a very large pike or maskinonge. He planted himself with one foot below the flaming torch, the other a little behind, when he plunged his spear into the huge fish that lay so quietly before him; but whether he was so deceived in the depth of the water, or whether he had not braced himself properly in the boat is not known; at any rate he struck the fish, which darted off like lightning, taking the spear with him, as well as him who threw it. For the gentleman, probably deceived by the depth of the water, had reached forward too far, and thereby lost his balance. So over he went head foremost, holding on to the spear. But he was satisfied without following the fish further, which escaped with the long spear, neither of which could be again seen. The gentleman made the best of his way into the skiff. Two days after a large maskinonge floated ashore several miles below the spot where the event took place, with the spear still clinging to him, just before the dorsal fin.

REMINISCENCES OF LA PLATA.

BEFORE commencing our reminiscences we must repudiate any desire to "throw a light" upon that vexed and entangled " Plate Question," the very mention of which instantly thins the benches of both "Upper" and "Lower House," our aim is to describe the principal objects which meet the eye in a country so original in its outward aspect. Upon approaching the entrance to the broad and dingy-coloured river the Plate, formed by the confluence of the two mighty streams the Uraguay and the Parana, the little town of Maldonado greets the view of the traveller in the distance, and after passing the islands of Lobos and Flores, the one a mere desolate pile of rocks, the other of somewhat more friendly aspect, and with a high lighthouse upon it, he soon finds himself at anchor before the City of Monte Video, which is built on one side of a creek, and on the other the "Mount," which, although of no very great height, is, from its isolated position, a prominent object. The insignificant cluster of hills at the extremity of the creek extending to the little eminence called the "Cerrito" (which is the headquarters of the besieging army), relieves but little the uniformity and general flatness of the country around.

The internal aspect of the town is by no means of the dreary and desolate character one is inclined to anticipate after its having sustained a siege of so many years, and which seems to give good promise of attaining the same duration as that of Troy. There are many gaily decorated shops, and the houses, with their "azoteas" and "miradors" are in very tolerable preservation. A certain air of business prevails, especially in the vicinity of the quay; but what gives the chief colouring of animation to the scene is the large number of military which meets the eye at every turn-the trim and cleanly appearance of the British marines and "blue jackets," and of the seamen of the French squadron, who garrison the place, forming a striking contrast with that of the ferocious braggadocio-looking Genoese and Basque soldiery of the foreign legion of defence. Outside the gate leading to the interior of the country, is the commencement of a fine wide street, designed very much in the French style, and with that regard to a cheerful aspect and a pleasant look-out which is so common a characteristic of our Gallic neighbours; however, rude warfare has put a complete stop to all these peaceful labours. Between the inner and outer lines of entrenchment of the defending forces is the British cemetery, which was enclosed with hedges. All vestige of its enclosures have long since been swept away by the cannonading, and it now presents to view nothing more than a desolate waste, with a shattered remnant of a tombstone here and there.

The camp of the besiegers and head-quarters of their commander is at the "Cerrito, about four miles from the town, and consists of rows of small huts, composed of clay and turf. The desolating effects of protracted warfare are strikingly apparent on every side. All the country-houses belonging to the wealthier merchants of the city are either partially ruined or entirely battered down, their gardens and

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pleasure-grounds completely devastated; saladeros (the enclosures in which cattle are killed, and hides cured), with their sheds and dependencies, a heap of rubbish; and the few trees which were studded about, broken asunder, or overthrown; whilst bright-red uniforms, and glistening muskets sparkle in the clear sunshine from amidst ruined and blackened walls, and sentries are perched upon the tottering edge of some gaily-decorated balcony, or remnant of an azotea for the outposts of the besiegers are stationed wherever there is any shelter for them, and in the immediate vicinity of the city. What imparts a peculiar character of originality to the scene, however, is the presence of the fair sex, everywhere amidst the din of arms and the turmoil of warfare, for all the principal families of the Banda Oriental followed the President of the Republic, when he was expelled from his capital by French influence, and they have thus had to "rough it" in the camp for many years. Elegantly dressed women are to be seen in every direction emerging from mud-huts, or clustered together within the only remaining apartments of some dilapidated villa; every little nook and corner around the camp, affording the scantiest shelter, has been made available for them to dwell in; from the long duration of the siege, also, they appear to be quite accustomed to the privations, and inured to the many hardships, of their position, preserving all that vivacity of manner which is the chief characteristic of the females of the Spanish race. Rude and forlorn as is the aspect of the scene around, their presence must serve, in a great measure, to counteract any feeling of despondency, in a like degree as it must stimulate the ardour of the troops. Venus is at hand to buckle on the armour of Mars! He battles under the very shadow of her eye, and reaps his reward in her approving smiles! And a fine, gallant-looking corps they are, too, these same soldiers of the Banda Oriental. The men wear cloaks of blue cloth, with pointed caps of the same material, and full, white cotton trowsers, the cavalry being armed with a short carbine and a sabre, and the infantry with muskets and short knives: the officers "sport" round jackets and tight trowsers of blue cloth, with red braid, foraging caps with a gold band, and long silver spurs. The beard is, almost invariably, worn very long, which is a distinguishing peculiarity from the Buenos Ayrean troops, a corps of which serves in the ranks of the besiegers.

A cruise of a few hours up the river brings us to the roadstead of Buenos Ayres, from which the city itself presents a handsome appearance, its many towers and steeples, and its "Alameda," or public walk, neatly planted with trees, extending for some distance along the water's edge, with forts at the two extremities. The atmosphere is so singularly clear and transparent that the town of Colonia, on the opposite shore of the river, here about thirty miles broad, is often distinctly visible.

The water is too shallow for a large ship to approach the city nearer than the outer roads, and we are conveyed in a small boat towards the shore, which, however, cannot be reached without the assistance of a rudely-made cart with two lean horses and a ragged postilion, which is stationed in the water about half a mile out, awaiting the boat's arrival; and thus we are dragged up upon the beach, the horses floundering and splashing about over hidden rocks and sand-banks, at a half trot, and often nearly tossing us out of the crazy vehicle head foremost, amidst a whole posse of wild-looking Gaucho lads on