FOURTH DAT.] THE EWE. 91 



in the spring heads, which are their objects in 

 running. 



POIET. — You give the fish credit for great sagacity. 



HAL. — Call it instinct rather; for if they reasoned, 

 they would run with every large water, whether from 

 wind or rain. "What the feeling or power is, which 

 makes them travel with rain, I will not pretend to 

 define. But now for our sport. 



POIET. — The fish are beginning to rise; I have 

 seen two here already, and there is a third, and a 

 fourth ; scarcely a quarter of a minute elapses without 

 a fish rising in some part of the pool. 



HAL. — As the day is dark, I shall use a bright and 

 rather a large fly, with jay's hackle, kingfisher's 

 feather under the wing, and golden pheasant's tail, 

 and wing of mixed grouse, and argus pheasant's tail. 

 I shall throw over these fish ; I ought to raise one. 



POIET. — Either you are not skilful, or the fish 

 know their danger. They will not rise. 



HAL. — I will try another and a smaller fly. 



POIET. — You do nothing. 



HAL. — I have changed my fly a third time, yet no 

 fish rises. I cannot understand this. The water is 

 not in good order, or I should certainly have raised a 

 fish or two. Now I will wager ten to one, that this 

 pool has been fished before to-day. 



ORK— By whom ? 



