158 BY HOOK AND BY CROOK. 



up to the neck in water, and had we not seen a fish rise 

 within reach we should have got out on to the bank. 

 However, as luck would have it, he came at the fly 

 with a rush the first time over, and was evidently fairly 

 hooked. 



We were in a pretty fix, as we could not get out, the 

 bank being too high ; nor could we get back, by reason 

 of the heavy stream, while the increased depth of the 

 water barred further progress. But, fortunately, by the 

 time the fish was played out our friend had crossed, 

 and soop slipped the net under a fish of 321b,, and a 

 'Afresh 'un." 



During the process of playing the fish two or three 

 others had popped up close by ; so, as we seemed to have 

 " struck oil,'' we begged our friend to take up our rod 

 (he having left his on the opposite bank) while we 

 smoked a pipe. 



He, however, in a sportsmanlike spirit, preferred to 

 continue with his own rod and pool ; but hardly had he 

 reached the middle of the river ere our shout arrested 

 his progress, when he good-naturedly returned and 

 landed for us a fish of 8 lb., which unfortunately turned 

 out to be a kelt or " old 'un," as they are termed in 

 these parts, which was duly returned to his native 

 element. 



In this river the term " old 'un " implies something 

 other than a fresh-run fish, and includes the kelt or 

 spawned fish, also what they term a " cock-fish,'' a class 

 of salmon weighing just about 8 lb., which, they main- 



