146 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



CHAPTER XIV 



NEWS HAS COME — 'THE FISH ARE UP' — I HAVE A MIND 

 TO TEST MY LINES AGAIN 



Is there any sport the fascination of which lays such 

 a tenacious hold upon its votaries so long before 

 the season opens as does that of salmon fishing? 

 The tail of the autumn army of fishers has scarcely 

 rounded the bend before there are sounds and signs 

 that tell of the Vvinter angler's preparations for a start. 

 So enthralhng is the pursuit of this king of river 

 fishes that right good fellows, who would scorn to 

 mislead others, humbug themselves almost beyond 

 belief merely to justify their getting ready for it. 



Preparing for my outings has occupied untold 

 hours during which too pressing matters have been 

 forgotten, and I have been as happy as in those 

 times when I was making sails for dug-out chunks of 

 wood. 



You see the ways a fisherman doth take 



To catch the fish, what engines he doth make ; 



Behold how he engageth all his wits, 



Also his snares, lines, angles, hooks and nets." 



I think time well spent in making a fly, or working 

 on a thought-out notion that may improve the simplest 

 detail of my outfit, and the attempt to effect such 

 purpose has been a pleasing effort even when failure 

 has ended it. I was quick to discover faults in the 

 tackle of thirty years ago, but slow to learn what would 

 remedy the defects, and, unfortunately, I have to add 

 that I am absolutely devoid of ready-made construc-^j 

 five talent; so, w^hen standing before my bench of 

 tools, I am much more likely to scratch my head for 

 an idea of how to make a start, and, having started, 



