466 Notes on Sport and Travel vm 



gravel into every likely stickle and hover, causing 

 the astonished trout to ram themselves head foremost 

 under the big stones and into the rat -holes in a 

 paroxysm of abject terror. Now, off with your coat 

 and waistcoat, roll your shirt sleeves up to the 

 shoulder, and splash into the pool as noisily as you 

 can. Where shall we begin ? There is a big 

 boulder in about two feet of water, which looks from 

 the contour of that side as if there might be a 

 hollow place under it. Down on your knees before 

 it. Gently, gently feel your way down the side. 

 Yes, there is a vacuity under it, into which you slide 

 your two hands as gingerly as if you were trying to 

 steal the cheese out of a rat-trap, the palms a little 

 turned upwards, and the fingers slightly bent. Aha ! 

 What was that, that brushed the right palm with a 

 touch as light as a kiss ? Wait a bit. Yes, now 

 comes the steady sweeping play of what can only 

 be the tail of a noble trout, backwards and forwards 

 over your immovable palm. Gently, gently close 

 the finger and thumb above it ; lightly, lightly touch 

 the body of the fish, softly as falling snowflakes, till 

 you come to another pair of fins, then pause a little ; 

 this abominable pair of fins are rather difficult to 

 pass. Shall I try with my right hand, or shall I, 

 still feeling them with it, pass my left at once beyond 

 them till I come to — aha ! what is this again ? 

 This is not the wavy movement of a fin ; this must 

 be the steady regular play of the gill-covers ; and so, 

 letting them lightly touch my finger and thumb once 



