176 A YEAR OF liberty; or, 



angling purposes, unimpeded with wood. Nearly through its whole 

 course the banks are low and the water generally level with the 

 meadows, which are advantages difficult to overrate, for if there 

 be anything like an air the stream is sure to receive its due pro- 

 portion. Long before the passing of the late Act, the upper 

 ** ground" was held in high estimation, but since that time it need 

 hardly be said it has improved wonderfully. Taken as a whole, the 

 Moy is deeper above than below the town, and in a dry season would 

 now probaply offer the best sport. 



Having knocked at the palace gates, Pat himself answered the 

 summons, led the way to our cot, and in a few minutes conducted 

 us to the "upper falls and rapids." A light northerly air faintly 

 curled the stream, and gave promise of good things. Our stock of 

 flies, never extensive though always new, at this time consisted, 

 only of a pair on the rod, so our artiste seated himself on the 

 bottom boards, with numberless envelopes secured under his legs 

 and between his knees, and commenced with great zeal to add to 

 our resources. This plan of fabricating by the river has many 

 advantages, one of the principal being the correct adaptation of 

 size to the height of the water. The industrious workman merely 

 looked up from his task for an instant, as a sharp rise at the 

 dropper caught his practised ear ; placed a little extra wax on the 

 silk with which he was fastening off the shoulder, and then went 

 calmly on with his business. Once more he lifted his eyes, when a 

 second refusal, accompanied by a scornful lash of a greenish tail, 

 attracted his attention ; this time the horns were being carefully 

 adjusted. 



''Wait a minute, my beauty, and I'll be about you. There, 

 master, if that won't suit him he must be uncommon perticler." It 

 was one of the jointed flies, so difficult to tie neatly, but so effective 

 in low and bright water, consisting of five rings of shining floss, 

 each in strong contrast to the other, with a turn or two of ostrich 

 between, of the same hue as the next joint above. A jay shoulder, 

 mixed wing, glittering tail, and long crimson antennae completed 

 an insect such as no fish, flesh or fowl ever saw in rerum naturd. 



