208 BT KOOK AND BY CBOOZ. 



The experiences which suggested the heading to these 

 notes were gained during a visit to a northern river, 

 during early spring, when the water chanced to be 

 dead low ; indeed, rods were laid aside until the next 

 flood, of which, by-the-by, a steady east wind gave no 

 promise in the near future. 



Not a fish had been taken for ten days or more, but 

 we had come to fish, and fish we must; so after due 

 consideration we determined to make oflF to a very rough 

 pool which was rarely fishable on account of its heavy 

 boiling waters and extremely rough wading. For these 

 reasons it was fished by few ; indeed, only one or two 

 knew how to wade it, and upon this occasion it had not 

 been fished since the last flood. 



Arrived at the pool, a glance showed that it was in 

 grand fettle, and we soon had ocular demonstration 

 that it sheltered plenty of spring fish, some lying right 

 up in the neck, others distributed over the entire length, 

 a distance of fifty yards or thereabouts. 



The day was exactly cut out for fishing, the sky being 

 evenly covered with grey clouds pierced now and again 

 by a streak of semi-sunshine. Would that such days 

 could be made to order ! 



The edge of the pool ran right up to the base of a 

 towering sandstone rock, and the bottom was entirely 

 composed of huge boulders of all shapes and sizes, lying 

 huddled up together, just as if the river-bed had been 

 blasted and left for the express purpose of twisting the 

 ankles of those who might venture upon it. The 



