SALMON ANGLING IN lEELAND. 1G9 



comparative equanimity that I noticed Mr. Tom, his face con- 

 siderably more white and his nose considerably more blue than on 

 ordinary Monday mornings, skulking behind a comer. " Go into 

 your cot you ^you ^teetotaller, and if you step out of here till I 

 return the rest was too majestic for repetition. On such a day, 



Man wants but little here below ; 



SO, bolting a cup of tea and pocketing a crust, we were soon once 

 more on the quay, and found Tom at his post, fast asleep. I have 

 always considered my " cordial " friend designedly put himself into 

 this condition, as being the only one likely to secure his not straying 

 off in search of " a drop." 



Between the upper and lower bridges a distance considerably 

 short of a quarter of a mile six boats besides our own were already 

 anchored in line of battle, waiting for the moment when the ebb 

 should enable them to proceed to business. The tide having fallen 

 sufficiently to allow our commencing operations, we took up a posi- 

 tion near the upper viaduct the only unoccupied spot and cast 

 one look at the flies, which in another moment were dancing over 

 the dark surface of the Moy. 



*' Mick's stuck in him," groaned Tom; "hes sure to have his 

 share, and something over." Battle, rattle, went the wheel ; anxious 

 to receive a lesson from so famous an artiste, I paused to watch the 

 result. Upright as a statue, and nearly as motionless, with the rod 

 well over his shoulder, stood the man who had sacrificed industry 

 and competence for poverty and pleasure. With steady hand, un- 

 flinching eye, and consummate skill, he foiled the wild rage of his 

 struggling victim baffled him at every turn and in less than ten 

 minutes, spite Tom's maledictions and malicious wishes, gaffed and 

 lifted into his crazy cot a beautiful and silvery six-pounder. Notwith- 

 standing his rags, how I envied the fellow I Stealing a look at the 

 boats below, an equally mortifying spectacle was to be seen, two of 

 their occupants being engaged in the agreeable task of reducing a 

 pair of refractory subjects to passive obedience. 'Twas too bad. 

 Willie laid aside his pipe, and observed in a stage whisper, that 



