THK WThiE POLER. — JOEDAN. — CHAELEYOIX. 297 



lono'ov T considered, tlie more I thought my need of Jeff. 

 was o-reater tlinn Jeff.'s needOf me, — and I " took it out " 

 mainly in hiting my li]is and wisliing- Jeff.'s nose would 

 snaj) up my tail-fly, just in the niek of a vigorous east of 

 the line, without, however, involving me in an}" moral 

 responsibility. I should have "played " liim with a gentle- 

 ness and compassion only equalled in tenderness hy that 

 of g(t(Ml old Tza;d^ Walton when lie sewed up the frog's 

 mouth. It is true. I said somethihg— that was human 

 natun — but only "Avords! words!" 



When Jeff, iiad lieen in a measure reihiced to silence and 

 subordination, we proceeded again with our tisliing, my 

 tricnd \\'\\\\ bait and I with tiies. Here and tliercAvc picked 

 up a trout, the modest tiy and luunble worm in friendly 

 (■(inlcst, and neither gaining a lead wortli tioasting of. Jetf. 

 was answered, however, for the My did t:dve trout, the 

 "1 mpsy" rod brought them to basket, — and it wasn't June, 

 either. Changing fi'om I1y to bait and back again, 1 had 

 about ('(|ual fortune with (>aeh. l>ut the day was against 

 us, the l)est hours of the late afternoon were lost in return- 

 ing over troutless waters to the steamer ; and we brought 

 away more delightful memories of the river itself than w^e 

 did of its famous swift.-tlashing trout. It is a glorious 

 stream (I was not blinded to that) and 1 have no doubt it 

 deserves all the Idgh ])raise it has received. Everybody 

 told us, however, that it had been over run all summer and 

 " tislied to death." It is every year tished more and more, 

 — and so will pass away tlie giorj^ of the .lordan. 



The steamer was in waiting. Jeff., the unmitigated, and 



