132 SY HOOK AND BY CBOOK. 



ran right down to the water's edge, obliging the angler 

 to take the water and make the best o£ a very nasty 

 piece of wading, until he could get out into a narrow 

 footway at the base of the rock by which the stream 

 ran to a depth of 6 feet or so. 



The catch, which lay about 20 yards out, could only 

 be commanded by the Spey cast, so, taking all things 

 into consideration, it would not be called a good pool 

 for a novice. 



The water was big, but of a nice " Ale" colour, as 

 they there term it, so we put on a large showy fly and 

 began wading down from the head of the pool. 



We had cast down about 15 yards when, just as the 

 fly had swung round to the middle of the stream, a 

 big swirl marked the surface, immediately followed by 

 a tug at the line. 



For a moment we thought our luck had turned and 

 we were at last in for a bit of sport ; but not so, as a 

 few seconds after the line came back loose, telling its 

 own tale. Our luck seemed, indeed, run out, but after 

 wasting a few moments in an address to the surround- 

 ings generally, in terms more or less uncomplimentary 

 to the fish, we decided to continue casting down, and 

 give him another chance after a few minutes' rest, as he 

 might possibly not have been pricked; this was our 

 impression. We then cast down to the point where it 

 became obligatory to take the bank, and at the third 

 cast the fly was again taken, but this time had fairly 

 got hold, so we stuck into the fish pretty hard. 



