128 A YEAR OF LIBEBTT ; OR, 



manner. Of course the newest fly was slipped on tlie line. How 

 my hands trembled ; for each moment I expected a rise, Over the 

 left shoulder flew the line, which, guided by a light touch of the 

 right hand, shot straight as an arrow far across the water. A dull 

 ruffle, an upward motion of the rod, and a good O'Shaughnessy sinks 

 deep in the jaw of a fifteen-pounder at the least. Speaking of one 

 of the smaller rivers, a friend once observed, ''Do you call that 

 sport ? Why the poor beasts cannot turn round in such a ditch." 

 But here no one could complain of wanting space. How these fish 

 fight ! Weight and water are all in their favour, and our antagonist 

 made such good use of his personal and natural advantages, that half an 

 hour elapsed before my man got a chance with the gaff, and was able 

 to land as handsome a sixteen-pounder as anyone need desire to see. 

 This agreeable commencement put us all in high spirits. A dark fly 

 succeeded '' the parson ; " an olive officiated as clerk to his reverence, 

 and was in turn followed by an " orange grouse." Now to go care- 

 fully over " the bank " four times, implies a considerable amount of 

 exercise, so we sat to consider what was next to be done. For 

 the last hour Pat had been busily engaged in dressing " an infant 

 phenomenon," which he was, of course anxious to trot out. This, 

 too, failed ; and as nothing more could be done, we tied our prize 

 '' head and tail," and moved on to the stream below. Hitherto we 

 had been favoured with only a single chance, nor did it seem an 

 easy matter to obtain a second. Under the waving woods adjoining 



my friend 's pretty villa, lay some likely spots, each of which 



was carefully but vainly tried ; and now, here is "Moss Eow," as 

 good a " rising throw " as any between the bridge and Beleek. By 

 keeping pretty constant possession, and by dint of hard work, I 

 managed this season to obtain a sort of prescriptive right to the row, 

 and considered myself in some sort as proprietor of the property ; but 

 like other potentates, I too had my cares of state. 



Uneasy lies the head that weai's a crown. 



I proved no exception to the rule, for it required the utmost 

 vigilance to maintain and defend my sovereignty. If excitement be 



