DAYS IN DOVE DALE 9 



keep the rod up, have the net ready, and pro- 

 tect myself from slipping down the bank, the 

 rain coming down worse than ever? How 

 could one pair of hands attend to all these 

 things ? 



Alas ! I found myself sliding ; down went the 

 point of my rod, and when I lifted it again the 

 line was no longer taut my fish had broken his 

 hold, and I was left disconsolate. 



If this were not an isolated fact I should 

 have been inclined to argue from it that, in- 

 stead of keeping your eyes on the fly, it is 

 better to keep them off it. The fish evidently 

 has his eye on you and the fly, and the moment 

 your eye is off, dash he goes at your fly ! 



I am sorry I have only this one fact to sup- 

 port my new theory ; whilst against it I am bound 

 to adduce the, perhaps, condemnatory fact that 

 I tested my theory by subsequently perse- 

 veringly keeping my eyes off my flies ; but I am 

 sorry to say the trout of to-day would not be 

 done by that deep ruse. 



I should not have been a true disciple of 

 Izaak had I given in. Hitherto I had fished 

 and walked rapidly ; now I decided to confine 

 myself to one spot and fish that thoroughly. 



