SALMON ANQLINQ IN IBELAND. 257 



and lolling in the stern sheets I occasionally caught a momentary 

 glance of the baits as they crossed alternate patches of shade and 

 sunshine. Midway up the lake the boat glided within an oar's 

 length of one of the fairy promontories a miniature cliff, some six 

 or eight feet high, with broken fragments strewed at its base. 

 Dreamily thinking of some of the great ocean rocks, I had seen in 

 my wandeiings, I still continued to watch it, and felt certain a heavy 

 fish ran warily at the minnow, and equally certain that it was a 

 trout of unusual size. Willie, who undoubtedly was paddling in his 

 sleep, when appealed to stoutly protested he had not taken his eyes 

 off the minnow as it passed the point, and as obstinately maintained 

 that not even a "pinkeen " had stirred. I had great faith in his 

 judgment in matters piscatorial, but in the present case, though 

 silenced, I was not convinced, and was as ready as ever to swear, 

 not only that I had seen a trout, but had naiTowly missed being 

 introduced to the king of the lake. Before reaching the northern 

 side we picked up two or three small things, one of which, a little 

 salmo ferox, was made heartily welcome, because, though insignificant 

 himself, he had unquestionably powerful relations. 



That day fly-fishing was a dismal practical joke. The artiste, 

 whose spirits were saddened by misfortune, viewing everything 

 through a very gloomy medium, was tortured with dark forebodings 

 about the dinner, his mistress, Micky Doolan, and *'our maid." 



It was past twelve o'clock breakfast had been hurried, and I 

 too began to feel a natural anxiety, which shortly after was much 

 relieved by a thin column of smoke that began to steal up through 

 the trees about half a mile to the southward. Simultaneously lines 

 were reeled up, rods laid over the stern, and three oars being put on 

 (we were glad at last to find something to do), the boat flew swiftly 

 over the glassy water. 



With a consciousness of merit, the ladies were graciously mys- 

 terious, so of course there was mischief afoot. Micky was all 

 smiles. Two iron crocks were on the embers ; one contained 

 potatoes ^what else could there be in it ? But the other I hate 

 concealments, especially on the subject of dinner. There was a 



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