38 Mij Two Days' Salmon Fishing, 



much like the catchmg of another. Suffice it to say that 

 for the two days succeeding the taking of my first salmon 

 I worked hard for fourteen hours a day, from six till eight 

 o'clock each day, taking on Phil Morris and a man with a 

 boat, and Larry with the gafi'. Of course I missed lots of 

 fish, for I would not let anyone touch my rod, and it took 

 some time to get into the knack of striking accurately, and 

 not too soon ; but somehow or another, I managed unaided 

 to hook and land five salmon in the two days, and on the 

 last day — having w^aded without waterproofs for some hours — 

 when I got home I felt downright beaten, and could just keep 

 my eyes open to eat a mutton chop and drink a large glass 

 of hot punch ; and, getting under two or three extra blankets 

 at nine o'clock on Saturday night, I slept where I fell, with- 

 out mo\'ing, till half-past one on Sunday afternoon. I 

 believe my five salmon cost me about a sovereign apiece, 

 after Phil Morris, and the boat, and the boy with the gafi", 

 and my lodging, and the bill for refreshments, and flies were 

 all paid ; but one of the best of Irish fishermen (I need 

 hardly say that Phil Morris is not his real name) I ever 

 saw, tried his very hardest to teach me to throw a salmon 

 line, and if I had the chance again I think I could do it 

 w^ell enough for my own amusement ; but I do not profess 

 to know more of salmon fishing than I learnt in my two 

 days' experience, and I look back on that visit as one of the 

 brightest eras of my life. 



My chance acquaintance overpaid me twenty times for 

 the loan of my private room, by giving me. the fishing, and 

 I made him accessory after the act to breaking the laws of 

 his country, he being a member of the Salmon Fisheries 

 Board. It occurred thus. On Sunday evening I told Phil 

 Morris I must have a dish of salmon-parr for dinner, and 

 he slipped down to a quiet spot and got me a couple of 

 dozen about the size of large smelts. The penalty, I be- 



