196 AUTUMN ANGLING 



nearly " up," I was giving a closing sweep to the 

 tail of " the road pool " before trotting home, when 

 at this malapropos moment a splendid salmon 

 hooked! The casting-line being only fine single gut, 

 the first touch of my fish proved that, to land him, 

 he must be worked for with patience and caution. 

 From the roughness and steepness of the bank, 

 the safest although most tedious course was, if 

 possible, to prevent the monster from leaving the 

 pool. As he proved " a sulker," there was little 

 difficulty in detaining him, but his phlegmatic 

 temper was such a stress on mine as sorely to 

 tempt me to risk my vantage-ground in the fight, 

 when two farm-hinds who had been watching from 

 a distance walked deliberately down to the oppo- 

 site bank, and set themselves doggedly to see it 

 out. All thoughts of hurrying the salmon, at the 

 risk of the light tackle, were now given up. My 

 friend might be hungry, and the dinner spoiled, 

 but the gaping clodpoles should never see me 

 break my fish. 



After nearly two hours' wary work, the victim 

 became so weak and docile as to allow itself to 

 be guided to the bank. The sight of the white 



