Fishcraft 31 



dance in very ecstasy, and caused any 

 true angler to believe that his heart 

 was a kettle-drum, every sinew a 

 jew's-harp, and the whole framework 

 of his excited nerves a full band of 

 music. And during all this time my 

 canoeman rendered efficient service in 

 keeping even pace with the eccentric 

 movements of the struggling fish. 

 'Hold his head up, if possible !' was the 

 counsel given liie, and 'make him 

 work for every inch of line.' 

 Whether, therefor, he took fifty yards 

 or a foot, I tried to make him pull for 

 it, and then to regain whatever was 

 taken as soon as possible. The result 

 was an incessant clicking of the reel, 

 either in paying out or in taking in, 

 with an occasional flurry and leap, 

 which could have been no more pre- 

 vented than the onrushing of a loco- 

 motive. Any attempt to have sud- 

 denly checked him by making ade- 

 quate resistance would have made 

 leader, line or rod a wreck in an in- 

 stant. All that it was proper or safe 

 to do was to give each just the amount 

 of strain and pressure it could bear 



