WATER-WITCHES. 41 



straightway got into a passion, and, in the 

 blindness of his rage, made a dash at a piece of 

 pointed rock, which latter had so much the best 

 of it (being quite cool), that the eagle became 

 food for worms. When the fisherman happens 

 suddenly to find his tackle, as the Yankee says, 

 " Up a tree," let him remember the eagle and 

 the rock. 



In bright, low waters I have had great sport 

 with a sort of Minnowkin, — a minute Minnow, 

 less than an inch long, and made of India 

 Rubber or Gutta Percha, having only one small 

 treble hook, hanging loose by the tail. I have 

 used this on my fly line, as the stretcher ; and 

 once, this year, when fishing in the Test, tested 

 its excellence by the production of a finer dish 

 of fish than usually falls to the lot of even the 

 accomplished fly-fisher ; and that, too, on a 

 bright calm day, when the fly was all but 

 useless. 



With a similar one made of lead, and used 

 as the Grasshopper (hereafter explained), I 

 have likewise had success of no despicable kind. 



I have made them bright on one side, and 



