Cn.vrr. xxiv. A Orcm I Fish. 323 



" been tempted to try and effect a passage across the bar, with tho 

 "almost certainty of going in over head and tars. As it was, prudence 

 " carried the da}-, and I sat down on a rock, put tho butt of my rod 

 " bet ween my legs, and lit a pipe. I then sent my fisherman off to camp, 

 "about 2^ miles over very rough ground, to order some dinner to be 

 "brought out, besides dry slims and socks, and a great coat. By the 

 "time the welcome sight of a lantern appeared it was near ten o'clock, 

 " and all the time I had been lighting for every inch of line. There was 

 " a splice in my line, and the struggle I had to get it on the reel is 

 "almost incredible. Time after time 1 felt it pass through my fingers 

 •' and just reach the reel, when the fish would shake his head, and pull it 

 •' half-way down the rod again. 



" After some little delay in collecting sticks and lighting the fire, I 

 " managed to make a very tolerable meal, keeping a tight hold on the 

 " line with one hand while I used the other for dinner purposes. Fcel- 

 " ing much refreshed by my hasty repast, I devoted all my energies to 

 " my enemy with redoubled ardour. After one or two runs, I fancied 

 " there appeared to be something wrong with the reel, so, calling for a 

 " light, I examined it, and found to my discomfort that the two screws 

 " which connect the reel with the bar that was tied on to the rod were 

 " gone, and, of course, on the same side as the handle ; the consequence 

 "was that the mere act of winding up caused the reel to gape very 

 "considerably at this opening. I tried various methods for remedying 

 " this mishap, such as getting my fisherman to hold it as firmly as 

 " possible in his hands while I wound up line, etc. ; but I found none of 

 " them so satisfactory as crossing my legs as I sat on the rock, and 

 " pressing the reel against my left knee. This answered tolerably well, 

 " but it was a somewhat awkward position to remain in for long. To 

 " make a long story short, however, about 2 a. m. I prevailed on my fish 

 •' to cross the bar and have a swim in the deep, still pool. He gave two 

 "furious runs up and down, [ luckily just preventing him from ret urn- 

 "ing to the stream, and then I hauled him into a nice little shallow 

 "creek. The fisherman carefully handled him, and he was secured. I 

 "made my man carry the captive some yards from the water, and 

 " deposit him in a safe place, and then a most pleasant sensation of 

 " triumph filled my heart, as by the light of the lantern I gloated over 

 " the splendid fish which had fought so bravely and plucMly for eight 

 "hours and a half. By this time it was 2.30 a.m., so my ser\ 

 "shouldered the fish, pots, and pans, and we started "IV home, fionnder- 

 " ing about over the two miles and a half of boulders and shingle in 

 '• pitch darkness, as the lantern had burned out. On arrival I. of course, 

 "routed up A., and we weighed the fish. He just turned the scale at 



TUK KOD IN I ■* J 



