278 A YEAE OF LIBEETY ; OE, 



Through the night there were heavy dashes of rain, and the 

 Oladdy was as high as on the previous day. How tempting it 

 looked as we leaned for a moment over the parapet of the bridge ! 

 But there is an irresistible charm in novelty, so we walked a short 

 distance up the road, and then struck across the bog to the right. 

 The moor looked dark and dead; in every crack between every 

 hummock water was lying. Ever and anon a snipe sprang at our 

 feet, whilst the soft whistle of the golden plover seemed to say, 

 " Autumn is passing, and winter is at hand." In less than a quarter 

 of an hour we struck into a rough bridle path, half road, half 

 rivulet, and passing some ruinous cabins, soon stood at the head of the 

 inlet where the Gweedore river falls into the sea. For some distance 

 above this point the water is as still, and about half the width 

 of an ordinary canal. Level with its banks, it is readily acted on 

 by any wind from the north-west or south-east, and now, on this 

 breezy, showery day, was in excellent tune. In the first hundred 

 yards two salmon were risen, and one good trout bagged, but the 

 stout gentlemen first mentioned could not be brought to close 

 quarters. Again and again we returned at stated intervals, only to 

 find them perfectly impracticable ; so at last, making a virtue of 

 necessity, we bade them good-bye, and went our way. 



With such wind and water sport was inevitable, and by the time 

 we reached the leap, we had made an excellent basket of fish, 

 ranging from |lb. to 41b. These higher pools, sheltered from the 

 breeze, were less productive than the lower ; still, having time to 

 spare, we took the rough and smooth as they came, and fished 

 straight on. Standing at the head of one of these, polished as a 

 sheet of glass, I played the flies quietly across till they reached the 

 side under a low bank of brambles, the dropper rising and falling in 

 a manner as lifelike as I could make it. Which was the most 

 astonished, the 11 -pounder who, intending to take possession of a 

 midge, received a sting, or a certain person who "was busily 

 thinking of nothing at all," it is impossible now to ascertain ; but 

 I do know that in that individual all other feelings were merged in 

 delight at his unexpected good fortune. The prize, however, had 



