46 SALMONIA. 



and I do not despair of your becoming a 

 distinguished angler. 



Phys. — With time and some patience : 

 but I am sorry I tortured that enormous fish 

 without taking him. 



Hal. — I dare say he was a large fish ; 

 but I have known very correct, and even 

 coolj reasoners in error on a point of this 

 kind. You are acquainted with Chemicus ; 

 he is not an ardent fisherman, and certainly 

 not addicted to romance : I will tell you 

 an anecdote respecting him. He accompa- 

 nied me to this very spot last year, on a visit 

 to our host ; and preferred angling for pike 

 to fly fishing. After the amusement of a 

 morning, he brought back with him to the 

 house one pike ; and with some degree of dis- 

 appointment complained that he had hooked 

 another of an enormous size, which carried off 

 his tackle by main force, and which he was 

 sure must have been above 1 lbs. At dinner, 

 on the table, there were two pikes ; one the 

 fish that Chemicus had caught, and another 

 a little larger, somewhat more than 3 lbs. We 

 put some questions as to who had caught this 



