SOME WRITERS ON THE GENTLE CRAFT 189 



till he arrived within a few yards of the overhanging trees. If he 

 resolved to pass this barrier, I knew well the alternative was either 

 a broken line to the angler, or a jump to the shoulders in the rapid 

 current. At this crisis the fish was turned by wary coaxing, and 

 brought cautiously down to the deep water where he had been 

 hooked. A new danger was here threatened, for the eddy tree 

 appeared provokingly near, and it was likely the huge fish might 

 strike across the river, twisting the line round its branches. Again 

 he was foiled by the coolness of his tormentor, and the up-stream 

 march was resumed." 



The daylight darkened into the gloaming, but 

 happily there were no clouds on the sky, and " to our 

 delight, the glorious red harvest moon rose ' broad ' 

 over the brow of the Ayrshire hills." The villagers 

 hearing of the sport going forward, rushed down from 

 their cottages to look on at the fun ; and young Mr. 

 Colquhoun went on playing his fish for the benefit of a 

 "gallery" of excited peasants, by the brilliant light of 

 " Macfarlane's lantern." 



" It was nearly ten o'clock at night before the noble fellow began 

 to show symptoms of yielding. ' Bring a lantern, Sandy, as he can 

 never be gaffed by moonlight.' Sandy was soon ready, and eager 

 with light and steel. The salmon, however, though nearly spent, 

 refused to come within reach of his weapon, and kept lashing the 

 water into foam on the opposite shore. Quick as thought, Sandy 

 dashed across the black stream and reached the fish before he sank. 

 Then poising the lantern for a second, up to his waist in the water, 

 he struck his victim with deadly determination a pause ensued 

 the light hissed in the river and was extinguished. Then followed 

 a severe unseen struggle under the darkened bank, when Sandy 

 [plucky fellow that he was], with a grip like a bull-dog, dripping 

 from head to foot, crawled from the deep, shouting, 'I hae him 

 noo ! ' " 



The weight of the fish was 25 Ibs. ; and as he was 



