THREE FISHERS, AND SOME BIG FISH 139 



culty in keeping up with him, the fish pursued the 

 usual and more fatal course of sulking. Three 

 successive attempts were made to gaff" him in deep 

 water, but in vain, as each time he moved on a little, 

 but could not be persuaded to run. The contest 

 continued till darkness set in \ reinforcements then 

 arrived in the shape of refreshments and a brother 

 angler, but all efforts to bring the fish to the gaff 

 were frustrated by his weight and strength. Through 

 the long night Mr. Denison persevered, keeping a 

 steady strain on the monster and meeting every new 

 manoeuvre with the patience and skill of a prince 

 among anglers. At last, about 4 o'clock in the 

 morning, its matchless strength was nearly exhausted, 

 and after several short runs the big tail gradually began 

 to stir the top of the water, and the stubborn resistance 

 seemed at an end. Slowly the giant bulk was towed 

 towards the shore, the gaff was stretched out to 

 secure it, and the prize seemed gained, when the fish 

 made a last expiring rush — and alas ! the line caught 

 on the angler's watch-chain. There was a dead pull ; 

 the line snapped, and the fish floated away, after a 

 contest of no less than ten hours. A few days before, 

 Mr. Denison had got the fish of the season in the same 

 pool, a remarkably handsome fresh-run salmon of 

 33^ lb., but, like Mr. Bromley Davenport's fish in 



