My Two Dcujs Salmon Fishing. 37 



his face below the high bank on which I was standing) gafi' 

 him. Aspen leaves " were fools to me," qua shaking, for I 

 felt almost drunk with excitement. " No more fishing to- 

 night, Phil Morris," I said, "or I shall go mad," as he 

 poured a little whisky into the salmon's mouth, more 

 Hibemico, before wetting him ourselves, which we all did. 

 It was autumn, and he was a red salmon, but he was a real 

 salmon, and weighed over nine pounds, and I was verij 

 happy. Acting on my request, Phil Morris got the crowd 

 to disperse, and we were left alone, and I explained to him 

 that I had two days' salmon fishing before me, and I would 

 take care of him if he would teach me to throw a line with 

 a two-handed rod ; and when we were alone I got him to 

 take the flies off, and I kept on till I felt pi-etty certain 

 that I was fairly safe against whipping out my own eye or 

 anyone else's : and we parted for the night with a mutual 

 promise to meet the next morning at six o'clock. It was 

 dark when I got to my lodgings, and I found my friend, to 

 whom I was indebted for so much pleasure, there before me. 

 I never saw a man more pleased, for, like all big-hearted 

 men, his pleasure was in pleasing others. " Bedad, sir," he 

 said, " I went away when I saw you with the rod, for I said 

 to myself, his heart will break if he loses the fish, and I 

 would not like to see it." There was no difficulty about it ; 

 it was all plain sailing ; the fish was well hooked, there 

 were no rocks or piles, and Phil Morris knew exactly when 

 to bring him in^ and how to gafi him. But how happy it 

 made us all, simply because we all loved real sport. Need 

 it be said that a good tea, and some eggs and bacon and 

 buttered toast galore were acceptable, and that a quiet 

 tumbler of punch, or perhaps two, were di'uiik, but no small 

 hours were indulged in, as I was due at six o'clock next 

 morning by the river, and I fell asleep to the music of the 

 water rushing over the weir. The catching of one fish is 



