CORACLE FISHING ON THE DEE. 185 



river, steering to whatever side he thinks most 

 likely for success, and impeding or hastening his 

 progress as he may think advisable ; and it is as won- 

 derful how slowly he can make it float in a rapid 

 stream, as how fast he can get it on when there is 

 no stream at all ; or even work it up against a slight 

 current. The rod, for this purpose, of course, 

 should be light enough to be conveniently used with 

 one hand. The line is, generally, about half again 

 as long as the rod, and reels are seldom used, as 

 they can follow a large fish, unless he should strike 

 up a very stiff current, and kill him without giving 

 him any more line : however, I certainly think the 

 reel a very useful appendage even in a coracle ; 

 though I have heard several old h'ands say, they 

 could do very well without it : but this is in the 

 early part of the salmon season. About the begin- 

 ning of August, the reel is mostly resorted to ; ne- 

 vertheless, salmon, eight or ten pounds weight, have 

 been frequently killed out of coracles without one. 



One day, in the beginning of June, sauntering 

 over one of the bridges of this river, I perceived a 

 weather-beaten old Welshman coming down in his 

 coracle. I walked forwards till I got alongside of 

 him, and attentively observed all his operations. I 

 was very much struck with the appearance of this 

 venerable angler. A broad-brimmed straw-hat, 

 round which were twisted several fly-bottoms, pro- 

 tected his aged brows from the sun. His seat was 

 firm, his keen eye continually on his flies ; and he 

 possessed that indispensable requisite for a good 



