SALMON ANGLING IN IBELAND. 21) 



to mo. I should not bo hurt ; truth, kindly spoken by lips we love, 

 seldom does wound ; and with you, old friend, I have passed so many 

 happy months, that, though an unusually shy man, I do not blush to 

 make the touching avowal I love you. 



We made quite a grand procession at starting. John marched first 

 with the rods, followed by Tim bearing the net and gaff ; next came 

 "Willie with the basket and bag the former, as it contained raw 

 materials for manufacture, always looked prettier on his shoulder ; 

 next in order was your humble servant ; and last of all shambled the 

 waiter, with a small stock of preventives against cold and hunger. 

 Nor was our start on the lake less dignified ; for Willie had extem- 

 porised two new cleats, and some thole-pins, so that we went off in 

 gi'eat style with four oars, the old boat groaning and plunging for- 

 ward like an overrun bison on the prairies. 



I became acquainted with John something in this wise. A hun- 

 dred years ago, let us say (one ought not to be personal), our 

 professional anglers wero rather naughty boys picking up, retain- 

 ing, and improving all the sad things so carelessly thrown away by 

 certain fast young gentlemen I have in my eye. Now my friend 

 John had rather an indifferent reputation in the village, being consi- 

 dered a poor mean-spirited fellow, who never drank whisky, nor 

 figured in a faction fight ; he was said, moreover, to be respectful 

 and quiet, so I took him, many a day ago, and stuck to him. But, 

 alas ! John had two faults firstly, being sometimes passive when 

 he should have been active, and secondly, having a sad constitutional 

 tendency to colic when the wind was ahead. Pulling a diminutive 

 oar, he placed himself in the bow, and when abreast of Church 

 Island calmly drew his paddle over the opposite gunwale, and produced 

 his pouch. 



"Here's for luck, y'r honour, and plinty of it;" but whether 

 the latter clause was addressed to the pouch or myself seemed 

 uncertain. 



I feel rather unwilling to say anything about the tackle we are 

 going to use doubtless you know it as well as I do ; but then, by a 

 sort oijictio legis, I am bound to hold you do not or what would 



