14 



BY HOOK AND BY CROOK. 



signals of distress, intimating that the end was not far 

 off. No convenient place for gaffing presented itself, 

 so we encouraged him in making up stream, where the 

 water ran shallower over the rocky bottom, enabling 

 our friend to gaff him nicely behind the shoulder — a 

 fresh-run cock fish of 23 lb., as bright and shapely as 

 any spring fish, without mark or scar upon him. 



We were playing him for 1^ hours, during which 

 he never gave us, or we gave him, a moment's rest, 

 being hard on him all the time : we never killed a 

 better sporting fish in spring or autumn, or one which 

 employed such a variety of means to effect escape ; he 

 was game to the last, dying with his back up, never 

 having showed a side throughout the long encounter. 



Lost! 



