A WILD GOOSE CHASE. 181 



Just at this time down came the rain in that gentle 

 drizzle which soaks one through in an apologetic way, 

 so we decided to seek the shelter of a little wooded 

 island in the middle of the lake, and spreading our only 

 waterproof above our heads, we consumed the humble 

 mid-day meal, not forgetting " quantum sufficit " of the 

 country's wine, just to keep out the wet, both of us 

 fortunately being disciples of the system which has as 

 its motto " Similia similibus, &c., &c/' 



Before our jarvey would fetch us there were four 

 hours to kill, and to all appearances these seemed likely 

 to be our only victims, but getting a bit stiff we faced 

 the wet and commenced casting from the back of the 

 island, when to our intense astonishment we rose a trout 

 at the second cast and landed him, about ^ lb. weight, 

 then another and another, until we had five brace all of 

 about the same size. 



Seeing the state of affairs, our companion did not 

 take long in getting his tackle put up and was soon into 

 them, so in a short space of time we together creeled 

 about 13 brace of nice trout of ^ lb. to | lb. apiece ; 

 then they gave up rising, and our jarvey drove us home. 



There was less feed at the back of the island than at 

 any other portion of the lake, so they probably had 

 drawn up for shelter, and naturally the scarcity made 

 them the more keen to take our flies cast from under the 

 gloom of the trees ; however, be that as it may, we have 

 never since missed the lee-shore of an island — and this 

 was the lesson of Lisdoon Varna. 



