SALMON 239 



winds, for one night, when the water was big, a fiend in 

 the shape of an otter snatched my bride from under my 

 nose, while next morning I had the misery of seeing her 

 lying dead on the bank, with a great hole eaten out of her 

 beautiful shoulders. Oh ! how I rejoiced a few days later, 

 and with what pleasure I saw the detested, dreaded otter 

 struggling in the jaws of something which held him tightly 

 fastened to the bank, and then while I feasted my eyes on 

 his discomfort, my revenge was perfected by watching a Foe 

 come along the side of the river, who killed the fiend with his 

 stick, and threw him contemptuously into a large brown bag. 



" With cheeks marked with orange stripes ; with sides clad 

 in dull, blackish mourning, I then in solitude began to drop tail 

 first slowly down stream, only making progress when I felt 

 there was sufficient water to take me in safety, for now the Foe 

 was once again tempting us with his glittering insects. 



" Hungry as I often was, all temptations were resisted, 

 while several times each day there came great crowds of 

 ' March Browns ' floating down the stream, off which I with 

 many others made fairly good repasts. I became, however, 

 so accustomed to see some of my brethren seize the insects of 

 the Foe that, instead of pitying them, I began to laugh at their 

 stupidity, the while I flattered myself on my own cleverness. 

 In this case, as is usual, pride met with its due reward, for a 

 litde later, when resting quietly, there came a most lovely fat 

 minnow dancing across the stream, the while trying all it could to 

 escape from me ; in a second I had closed my mouth over it, 

 but only to find once more that the artful Foe had anticipated 

 my tastes, and that I was held fast by many pricking points. 

 I fought my best, but tried in vain every trick former experi- 

 ence had taught, until at last, utterly exhausted, the Foe drew 

 me to a sandbank, and, stepping to where I lay gasping, lifted 

 me by the tail, while saying to a companion, ' Only another 

 brute of a kelt.' Then, placing me on the sand, he -held me so 

 tightly as to prevent all struggling, while with a knife he cleverly 



