A HARD FIGHT. 311 



After waiting for many minutes, trusting that my foe 

 -would change his mind and his quarters, I became 

 impatient, and believing my tackle to be good, put on a 

 little extra purchase; this ruse was successful, for with 

 astounding velocity the fish started down stream at racing 

 pace for parts unknown. The reel fairly yelled, and instead 

 of the well-made sonorous click being heard, a discordant 

 screech was its utterance. Close on a hundred yards of 

 line rushed through the heated rings before he slackened 

 up, and a good twenty yards more I had followed his 

 course; at the end of this dash he broke water splendidly, 

 causing the spray to fly for many feet around. Again and 

 again his argentine flanks reflected brilliant radii in the 

 sunlight, and at each glistening reflection of the solar rays 

 I feared that we should part company without the most 

 remote chance of further or more closely renewing our 

 acquaintance. Fortune and good tackle, however, favoured 

 me ; and I had the satisfaction of turning his head for 

 the source of the river, and probable birthplace of himself 

 and relations. With the greatest satisfaction I took in 

 yard after yard, my hopes rising as the body of my reel 

 expanded ; at length I saw the loop which attached the line 

 to the leader, and the sight caused me more satisfaction 

 than one can imagine who is engaged in the ordinary 

 pursuits of life. O salmon fishing ! what pleasure have I 

 enjoyed following thy peaceful pursuit! What ecstasy, 

 what delight ! Would that I had the pen of the most 

 fluent writer, or tongue of the most eloquent spokes- 

 man ! I could do you far more justice ; but still I doubt 

 if it is in power of words to mete to you an iota of the 



