BRITISH SPORT PAST AND PRESENT 



was two or three minutes' work, and just as I seized hold of it, 

 the fish having ventured from liis shelter, was, in spite of his 

 efforts, hurried down at racing pace taking more line than I 

 liked, while I followed, crawling and leaping along some 

 impassable-looking country, such as I would not have faced in 

 cold blood. By this time he had nearly reached the Ess or 

 fall, and all seemed lost. I do not think he really intended 

 going over, for when he felt himself within the influence of the 

 strong smooth water he tried his best to return, but in vain ; 

 over he went like a shot, and long ere I could get round some 

 high rocks and down to the lower part of the fall, I had 80 or 

 90 yards of line out, and to follow him farther on this side of 

 the water was not possible, owing to the steep rock rising beside 

 the stream. To add to the embarrassment of my position I 

 found on raising the point of my rod, that in going over the fall 

 the fish had passed beneath some arch deep under water, thus 

 making my case appear very hopeless. But, determined not 

 to give it up yet, I sent my man up to the house of Relugas, 

 where he found an old three-pronged dung-fork and a garden 

 line, with 'which we managed to construct a grapnel, and at the 

 second throw in, I got hold of the line below the sunken arch ; 

 then fastening it to my right hand, I made my man throw the 

 whole line off the reel and through the rings, and having drawn 

 the remainder of the line through the sunken arch, and clear 

 of the impediment, I formed a coil, and with my left hand 

 pitched the end of it up to him, when he passed it through the 

 rings again from the top of the rod, fixed it to the axle of the 

 reel, and handed me down the rod to where I stood. From 

 the long line out, and the heavy water, I could not tell whether 

 the fish was on or not, but the line looked greatly chafed all 

 along. 



' I now tried the only plan to end the business ; leaving my 

 man holding the rod, I went to a bridge some distance up the 

 river, and having crossed to the other side and come down 

 opposite him, he pitched the rod over to me ; I felt that, if he 

 was still on, I was sure of him, and reeling steadily up the 



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