FISHING IN RIVER, STREAM, AND LOCH 161 



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moment, are the tests of the good and fortunate fisher- 

 man. But no doubt it is uphill work, that hoping on 

 against discouragement ; and you begin, in spite of 

 yourself, to take some interest in surrounding objects, 

 and a trifle less in the fly you are playing more 

 mechanically among the eddies and the back-water. 

 But here you are arrived at the famous " Fairy's Pool," 

 and compelled to pay closer attention ; for the droop- 

 ing birches that strike their roots through the clefts in 

 the rock throw their shadows over your fly-bedecked 

 wideawake, and you must cast a moderately long line 

 underhanded. You are drawing the fly with a gentle 

 twitch in artistic zigzags, behind that jutting black 

 point of rock, where you know there is a favourite 

 ".seat" of the salmon. There is a swirl and a surging 

 wave in the pool ; the reel spins round in double-quick 

 time, and the line runs out to the whirring music. 

 However long that fish may have been in the river, he 

 is clean as if he were fresh from the sea. You could 

 see the shimmer of the silver scales, as, bending himself 

 like a drawn bow in a mighty splash, he vanished again 

 in the depths from which you disturbed him. Salmon- 

 fishing a contemplative amusement, indeed ! there is 

 small time for contemplation. Nothing will ever bring 

 that fish to bank but the instincts of long scientific 

 experience, with prompt and decisive strategy. He is 

 bent upon " breaking " you, and you are bound to 

 humour him while you hold him fast ; and humouring 

 him is no such easy matter with the slippery foothold, 

 the lack of arm-room, and the canopy of drooping 



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