7 o THE SALMON 



tuted the ' Pleasures of Hope ' for the possibility of 

 sport for a day or two, and before we can get into the 

 boat the sight of some magnificent fish splashing 

 about in the pool in front of us brings our hearts into 

 our mouths ; for my companion has never before seen 

 a salmon alive, and I have seldom had a chance of 

 an encounter with the giants of the Tay. Perhaps 

 it was not altogether a good sign for the fish to be 

 taking quite so much air and exercise, but it was 

 something to be assured that the pool was not empty, 

 and of that there was ample ocular demonstration. 

 We let out line as directed, until a bit of silk whipped 

 round it discloses that the orthodox twenty yards has 

 passed through the rings, a rather smaller allowance 

 being considered sufficient for the minnow ; and after 

 giving each one turn round a fair-sized stone at the 

 bottom of the boat, plant the butts of our rods against 

 notches in the plank behind our feet, light our pipes, 

 and begin to pursue ' the contemplative man's recrea- 

 tion.' But not for long — for the steady strokes of the 

 two oarsmen have not propelled the boat to the oppo- 

 site side before one of the three stones gives a jump 

 in the air, and my companion has hardly time to seize 

 his rod before the line is screaming through the rings 

 — and seventy yards are out before his rather awkward 

 movements have brought his rod into position, 



