12 ANGLERS' EVENINGS. 



and then it is too dark to go on, and we return to the 

 station, or to another house close by, where, we are told, 

 we shall find better beds than at the station itself. We 

 are glad of the change, for the house is cleaner than the 

 last and every way in better condition. But we are not 

 able to get our trout cooked after all, and once more feed 

 on flad-brod. 



We are up before six in the morning, and while 

 breakfast is getting ready, I go down to the river again 

 with my rod, and am fortunate enough to land, after an 

 exciting fight, a sea-trout of 2-;/J^it). This is my last 

 success at Dale. A countryman who came up just as I 

 landed my fish, persuaded me to fetch salmon rod and 

 flies, and, while I went for them, caught with my tackle 

 another trout, the twin of the one I had taken. I had no 

 luck with the salmon, and had soon to go to breakfast, to 

 which we had fish, eggs, milk, and cocoa (the latter we 

 had brought with us), a sumptuous meal indeed. 



I am a pretty ardent angler, and I do not think that 

 anywhere but at Dale I ever gave up fishing in disgust. 

 But here, in the bright morning sun, as I raised my 

 eyes from the waters to look around me, I really flung 

 my rod away and vowed it a sin to forget for a moment, 

 in the rapture of angling, the glories of the place I was 

 in. That this enthusiasm did not last long it is needless 

 to say ; like the philosopher who throws away his money 

 as vile dross, and, immediately repenting, stoops to pick 

 up the coin, I resumed my rod, and my indifference to 

 everything but fish returned. 



From Dale, by land to Dalseidct is but five or six 



