12 THE ADVENTURES 



large trout, otters, rats, &c., &c., and passed 

 the first twelve months of my life wandering 

 from Llangollen to Llansaintffraid, up to Corwen, 

 Croggyn, and even paid a hasty visit to the 

 waters of the Tegid Lake, where however, I did 

 not remain many hours convinced that in that 

 direction the wandering propensities I already felt 

 were not to he pursued farther. 



The returning spring found me still in the 

 Dee, now become really a handsome fish, much 

 too large to fear a trout, and too wary and swift 

 in my movements to have much cause for dread 

 of even the voracious pike, so long as I kept 

 clear of his deep stronghold. Still, I was but a 

 Samlet, though of last year's growth ; the violet 

 streaks yet marked my speckled sides, and my 

 long elegant form differed much from that of the 

 Salmon morts, whom I occasionally encountered, 

 and from whom I learnt something of my future 

 destiny. 



As the summer advanced, an instinct, which I 

 cannot describe, led me to direct my wanderings 

 down the river; each successive flood, which 

 followed a few days' rain, gave me an opportu- 

 nity, which I eagerly seized, of floating still 

 further with the turbid current, and of passing 

 with comparative security, those long deep pools 

 which succeed each other in some localities of 



