SALMON ANGLING IN IRELAND. 171 



looked like business, but "the tinker" was not to be outdone; 

 reeling up, lie lit his pipe, pulled a few dirty bits of paper from the 

 lining of his hat, and at once commenced the construction of a more 

 novel and attractive article. 



This was a golden opportunity, nor was it thrown away, for before 

 his task was completed we had secured an additional brace of fish. 

 Unwilling to tarnish our laurels, we once more lifted our anchor, 

 removed from a neighbourhood so dangerous to our reputation, and 

 drifted down towards the tanyard. The rain, which had so long 

 threatened, now came down in a way creditable even to clouds fresh 

 from a trip across the Atlantic, and the big drops pattered so thickly 

 that Tom found occupation in bailing the boat with his shoe. 



Our oiled coats were, however, garments of proof. " Work away, 

 your honour, we've an hour yet afore the tide comes." Had the 

 torrent been descending in bucketfuls, instead of drops, we should 

 not have flinched success and rivalry had so completely warmed us 

 that all the rain which ever fell could not have cooled our ardour. 

 Too soon passed the time, and when the flood warned us to desist^ 

 we gained the landing-place with eight salmon and two white trout, 

 each about l^lb. 



Fifteen fish and a brace of trout did not constitute a bad day's 

 sport, yet we grumbled outrageously at an incident that befel us 

 about midday, causing us to waste an hour and a half of invaluable 

 time. The misfortune came on us in this wise : A few yards below 

 the last bridge, I hooked something evidently far beyond the average 

 size. Sailing away majestically, "the individual" quietly sat himself 

 down on the bottom, as if meditating a prolonged interview. Urbane 

 by nature, I treated him with the courtesies usual on such occasions, 

 and kept up a continuous steady strain ; but I might just as well 

 have pulled at our mooring stone. There is, however, a limit to 

 politeness, and, exasperated at this dogged and unreasonable beha- 

 viour, Tom was directed to pay out rope and stir him up with the 

 pole. Such a forcible argument could not be resisted, so our friend 

 got up and moved off leisurely, only to sit down again almost imme- 

 diately a few yards farther off. If the " individual " was, through 



