Chaft. xvii. Colonel Osborn'a Contribution. 201 



those of their friends together, wrote me what T shall call the 

 report df tin' l'.a-]ifm Committee. It entirely confirms Colonel 

 Osborn's view, for though it may seem t" limit it somewhat, it will 

 be seen that a Bubsequenl quotation from the same ]im <|ualifies 

 the limitation just as Colonel Oshorn has qualified it After so 

 much diversity of opinion as there has been, a concurrence of 

 opinion is satisfactory. "The reason I had never succeeded before 

 "was that I was always told to go at low tide just at the turn, 

 •' whereas the time is two or three hours before the low tide. An 

 hour before low tide they are quite oil' the teed, and probably not 

 " there." These views are again confirmed by another fisherman, 

 1!., who tells me that not only has he fished for Ba-mln with 

 advantage during the last quarter of the ebb tide, but has, in a 

 boat, followed them down with the tide, and caught them all the 

 way down to the very sea. 



Colonel Osborn continues : 



" As with the Mahseer, when he makes his first rush, so with the 

 " Bahmeen, the smallest check and you part company, for he is a 

 " Strong and hard-mouthed fish. 



"The rod I like best for this kind of fishing is one of Farlow's 

 " L'ike spinning-rods, bamboo for choice. Mine is 12 feet long, with 

 ■ it- short top, — for Bahmeen I prefer the short top — as 1 would, 

 "indeed, for Pike, for the long flexible top joint is only of use in 

 ' spinning a minnow for trout. Note the length with short top, 

 12 feet, because the farther you go beyond this length, the less 

 " line you can throw out, the exertion in throwing will he greater, 

 " your control over the line not so complete, and the cast not nearly 

 "so perfect and artistic as that which can be got out of a 12-foot rod. 



"The reel should carry 100 to 120, or 150 yards of 8 plait 

 "smooth running, spinning line, not a corded line, for in spinning 

 "either from a bridge or from the banks for I'.ahmeen (which latter 

 "you may have a chance of doing), you have to spin in exactly the 

 " same way as you spin for Pike, and a corded line would kink, 

 and spoil your sport. 



•'A gimp trace, with two swivels — brass gimp 1 prefer to silver, 

 "as it shows less, though when silver gimp gets clouded and soiled 

 " it ifl equally good In thickness the gimp should be of medium 

 "size ; if new and good, it will be (put e strong enough, and the finer 

 " you fish for Bahmeen, the greater will be the measure of your 

 " success. 



