THREE FISHERS, AND SOME BIG FISH 143 



enough for a week. Dr. Browne now put in force 

 what, in a letter to me, he states that he ' regards as 

 the most brilliant idea that ever came into his mind.' 

 A spare rod, short and stiff, was laid across the seats 

 of the boat, with the reel all clear and a good 

 salmon line on, with five or six yards drawn through 

 the rings. They waited until the fish was quiet a 

 minute or two under the boat, and gently taking hold 

 of the line he was on, passed a loop of it through that 

 at the end of the salmon line. After two or three 

 failures the loop was got through, a good knot tied, 

 and the old line snapped above the knot. The danger 

 surmounted might then be properly estimated from the 

 fact that the flaw when examined turned out to be seven 

 inches long, and half of one of the remaining strands 

 was frayed through. The only thing now to be avoided 

 was coming into close contact with the fish, as the 

 loop, of course, would not run through the rings. 

 This was rendered more difficult, as the manoeuvre 

 of transferring the fish from one rod to another was 

 facilitated, by his being attracted by the light and 

 keeping close to the boat. For a few moments it 

 was proposed to hang the light over the stern and 

 gaff him when he came up to it, but this method was 

 rejected as unworthy of so noble a foe. I quote the 

 conclusion of the article. 



