A BAD REEL 125 



able and alluring aspect. The curl on the water 

 still continuing, I whisked him off gaily. At the 

 very second throw, the pool being somewhat dead, 

 I saw the water heave up, advancing in a wave 

 towards me. I waited patiently for the break, 

 which was a slight one, but pleasant and beauteous 

 to behold. This I knew to be the act of the Salmo 

 solar ; and as my line was short, I was, as I before 

 recommended to others, in no hurry to strike ; but 

 fix him I did in due season. He no sooner felt the 

 hook than he began to rebel ; and executed some 

 very heavy runs, which so disconcerted the 

 machinery of my multiplier as almost to dislocate 

 the wheels. The line gave out with starts and 

 hitches, so that I was obliged to assist it with my 

 hands. To wind up it resolutely refused ; so that 

 I was compelled to gather in the line in large 

 festoons when it was necessary to shorten it, and 

 again to give these out as best I could when the 

 fish made a run. Add to this embarrassment that 

 the ground was distressing, there being alder bushes 

 in my rear, which made it impossible for me to 

 retreat and advance by land, by which means I 

 could have humoured the fancies of the fish, so as 

 to obviate in some degree the necessity of giving 

 out and shortening the line. So I had no power 

 whatever over the salmon, which was evidently a 

 very large one. 



In the course of an hour I made no impression 

 upon him at all, my whole aim being to avoid a 

 break. I never engaged with a more subtle animal. 

 Sometimes he would make the tour of all the 

 neighbouring stones, where he endeavoured, no 



