IO2 Rambles witJi a Fishing-Rod. 



stream. Other smaller fish were returned, to 

 give sport when they had attained more mature 

 years. 



The weather remained delightful for the tra- 

 veller, making the somewhat sombre country 

 charmingly bright and cheerful ; but it was not 

 such as to tempt me for long hours to the river- 

 bank. However, on the next evening but one, 

 I took a regretful farewell of the Argen, by 

 basketing four half-pounders and some small 

 fry in the still evening. In some respects this 

 more delicate fishing was pleasanter than the 

 easier-obtained basket of the first day. There 

 is a greater attraction and excitement in drop- 

 ping a fly neatly under a root-entwined bank, 

 and enticing a fish from his home, than in secur- 

 ing a hungry feeder in mid-stream in thickish 

 water. Any one who likes this contemplative 

 kind of fishing might enjoy many pleasant 

 evenings on the Argen ; sometimes standing on 

 firm dry banks of gravel, at others wading on 

 equally firm ground in mid-stream, where the 

 water swirls gently over a wider bed. The 

 pools and deeper runs always would be fishable, 

 even in the driest weather, so that from four 

 o'clock to seven one might be sure to get some 



