A CBAPTEE OF ACCIDENTS. 215 



and just as the fly came round and was hanging plumb, 

 the rod bent and fastened the hook securely into a good 

 fish, which immediately leapt into the air, revealing 

 himself as a thick one of about 15 lb. weight. 



Straight away he dashed, then steadied a bit and 

 gradually permitted of the reeling-up process, until we 

 thought we might number him among the slain ; how- 

 ever, as he once more headed down stream, out came 

 the fly, probably never having been fixed, but simply 

 lodging against a bone, if even so much as that. Another 



reverse 



All pools seemed alike as far as results were con- 

 cerned ; such luck was truly disheartening, especially 

 after by no means easy work ; still there was nothing 

 left but to persevere, so we waded out to fish a little 

 run just above, and at the second cast the fly was 

 taken. 



Away down the run he went at lightning speed, then 

 faced up and endeavoured to place an ugly rock between 

 himself and us, obliging us to make up after him ; then 

 gradually we got him to shore, somewhat surprised that 

 he only weighed 8 lb., as by his play and strength we 

 should have put him down at double that size, which 

 shows that unless a fish comes to the surface it is 

 difiicult to guess his weight. 



He was the freshest of fresh-run ones and of the most 

 perfect shape we have ever seen. 



The wind now dropped round to the S.W. and heavy 

 rain fell during the night, which brought the river down 



