SALMON ANGLING IN IRELAND. 183 



windward to leeward like a ship in a gale of wind. Fortunately we 

 reached the bottom in safety, when I duly registered a vow that, if 

 not dead lame, I would ride up and walk down all hills that might 

 lay in my course hereafter through "the Far West." 



Lakes always possess one advantage over rivers ^namely, a greater 

 liability to feel the influence of wind, and it must be calm indeed 

 if a sheet of water large as Lough Conn is not in good angling trim 

 for an hour or two during the day. When we left Ballina there was 

 a nice westerly air ; when we reached our destination the whole lake 

 sparkled with ten thousand tiny wavelets laughing and breaking in 

 the morning sun. So favourable an opportunity was not to be lost, 

 and, with Pat as pilot and Willie at the sculls, we were almost 

 immediately on the ground. 



" I say, Walter, no poaching ; that's my property," remarked the 

 Colonel, jerking his fly from the centre of a dull, deep eddy. " Back 

 a stroke or two, Willie, and we'll come over him again with some- 

 thing new." True fell the line, and at the fourth cast he came 

 again. 



" I seen him that time, sir. He's a raal ould spring fish, as red as 

 a brick. Thim is sad deluders, always a-sajdng sweet things, but 

 niver meaning ony thing. There's no getting the likes of him to the 

 church door. He's too old to be caught." 



" We'll try. Master Willie. Back her again. Very ancient birds 

 are sometimes taken with chaff, you know." 



The rising fly once more fell near him. " There's luck in odd 

 numbers," says Rory O'More. I almost felt the sharp steel cut into 

 his gristly jaw. With a hand so perfect as that of my old friend 

 over him, his doom was sealed ; it was only a question of time, so, 

 quite at ease as to the ultimate result, I went on with my work. It 

 was a likely hour, and in a few minutes I too was " in a salmon." 

 No sooner was the deed done than the enormity of the misdemeanor 

 struck me in all its force. I ought to have reeled up, and so have 

 given my companion fair play. Now there was no help for it but to 

 break, or kill my fish out of hand. Shortening the line I gave him 

 the butt, keeping up a strain so severe that the light grilse rolled 



