•26 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



CHAPTER XXII 



*THE DHRAWING-ROOM FLURE' — THE RIVER ERRIFF 

 FOR SALMON AND LOUGH NAFOCEY FOR PIKE — 

 UP ON A CONNEMARA MOUNTAIN FOR GROUSE. 



A SEA-CAPTAIN who has been thanked for valuable 

 infonnation and has readjusted himself upon his 

 seat after a sip at a replenished glass, with a satisfied 

 air and a long clay pipe, makes a comfortable picture; 

 at least, so I thotight when I looked at him, as I com- 

 menced what I intended should be a brief account of 

 my visit to Leenane; but he and our host so encouraged 

 me by interposing comments that — my son giving me 

 no restraining kick — I told it as written here. 



It is just twenty 3^ears ago that my friend, Mr 

 Emery, in whose judgment I place implicit faith, 

 said, 'Geen, will you go with me to Connemara? 

 Graham was going, but has had to drop out through 

 illness. I have planned everything, and am assured 

 the prospects are good for fishing, and, mark you ! 

 grouse shooting is promised should the river fall too low.* 



Free salmon fishing, within a mile of the sea, where 

 fresh-run fish may come with ever}^ tide, was a pros- 

 pect that moved m.e; with grouse shooting added on 

 the same terms it became irresistible, and I said 

 'Yes' at once. Of course I ought to have been very 

 sorry for the poor fellow who should have shared all 

 this; I quite forget v/hether I was so or not, but I 

 certainly felt delighted at the thought 'of a hoUday 

 during which my friend and I might catch salmon 

 or kill grouse as the fancy moved us. Emery is a 

 clever fisher, a most excellent companion, and is 

 full of the resource, ingenuity, and cheerfulness that 

 were so necessary to angling visitors to Ireland at 



