68 WITH NATURE AND A CAMERA. 



Mr. Fiddes caught a good- sized Pollack and one 

 Coalfish before a monster of some sort broke his line, 

 and left us with the single one which I was using. 



I now requested Mr. Young to take a hand at 

 my line ; but he would not touch it, declaring that, 

 old sportsman though he was, the fun of watching 

 my boyish pleasure and excitement was more to his 

 liking than even the fishing itself. I caught several 

 splendid fish in quick succession ; and Finlay 

 McQuien grew greatly alarmed at the way I was 

 spoiling my clothes by dragging the voracious 

 creatures over the gunwale of the boat. Once I 

 had no sooner disengaged a fish and dropped the 

 bait overboard, than another rose and snatched it 

 before the leaden weight on the line had actually 

 touched the water. Directly he discovered that all 

 things are not quite what they seem he dived with 

 a tremendous rush. Tlie suddenness of the jerk 

 made the line spin through my hand so fast tliat 

 my fingers were hot with the friction. 



By the time we reached the end of tlie Doon, 

 the bottom of the boat was covered from stem to 

 stern with dead fish of all sizes. My bootless feet 

 and legs were wet and cold to the knees, but I 

 was entirely oblivious of any feeling of discomfort 

 whilst the sport lasted. 



After fishing for a little over an hour, w^e rowed 

 homewards across the bay. I kept the minister's 

 catch separate; and when I counted my own upon 

 tlie beach, I had seventeen Coalfisli of an aggre- 

 gate weight of something between (nw. liundred and 

 eighty and two hundred ])ounds. 



News was sent up to the village tluit tliere was 

 plenty of fish on the beach for everybody, and a 

 nuniljcr of boys quickly trooped down to tlie Imid- 

 ing ]>lace for a share, liefore any part of my catch 



