ANGLING ON THE BORDERS. 25 



until his salmonship pleases to move. The best way 

 of pulling at him in such case is by getting below 

 him ; and if he can't be moved in that way, he can't 

 be moved at all. The safe rule in running a fish, how- 

 ever, is for the angler to have tackle in which he has 

 some confidence, and then, avoiding all jerks or sudden 

 strains^ to maintain as firm and constant a control 

 over the salmon's motions as possible, until the fish is 

 exhausted. Then leading it gently to some favourable 

 place on the bank, he may either strike a gaff into its 

 shoulder or through its gills, or encircle it in a large 

 landing net. If he has an assistant to do so for him, 

 all the better, although we deem it hardly sportman- 

 like for anglers to have their assistants watching every 

 opportunity to " cleek" the fish before it is exhausted. 



TROUT-FISHING. 



Of all kinds of sport, trout- fishing, to the people of 

 Scotland, is the most generally accessible. It is also 

 that which more than any other calls forth, or gives 

 occasion for the exercise of, the ingenuity, patience, 

 sagacity, and endurance, which enable man to conquer 

 the instincts and outdo the wariness implanted in his 

 prey for their protection. The sharp-sightedness, cun- 

 ning, and timidity of the trout — and especially of the 

 trout of our much-fished border-streams — are prover- 

 bial ; but even these must yield to the dexterity and su- 

 perior acuteness of the angler, who, using a line almost 

 invisible in its fineness, passes off a feather for one of 

 Nature's insect masterpieces, and makes a worm or a 

 minnow the tempting disguise by which to introduce 

 a barbed hook into the mouth of his not easily-deceived 



