MONSTRUM HORRENDUM. 175 



given about five minutes. He expressed the greatest 

 astonishment at the swiftness and result of the race, 

 and at the power of the fish, who had been able to 

 distress two full-grown men so completely. He owned 

 he was much excited, but thought fishing for salmon 

 would be too turbulent an amusement for him ; though 

 perhaps he might have kept up with a good pony, had 

 the ground been passable by such a beast. Poussin, 

 Virgil, the Apennines, all were forgotten ; and he began 

 to enter warmly into the spirit of the present, and was 

 curious to know by what particular tactics one can con- 

 trive to get the better of such a large furious monster, 

 as he expressed it, with such apparently inadequate 

 means, when a small sea trout broke him with all the 

 ease imaginable. As I now reckoned upon his atten- 

 tion, I told him, as follows — how to manage a large 

 sahnon, and how a large salmon may manage us : — 



" When you get hold of a monstnim horrendum, ingens 

 of a fish, say of some five and forty pounds, you must 

 anticipate a very long and severe battle. If, therefore, 

 you have a disposable Gilly with you, despatch him in- 

 stantly for some skilful fisherman, as well to assist you 

 when you are exhausted with fatigue, as to bring your 

 dinner and supper ; not forgetting a dark lantern, that 

 you may not be beaten by the shades of night, — a cir- 

 cumstance by no means improbable. At the first onset 

 you will probably be obliged to keep your arms and 

 rod aloft, in order to steer clear of the rocks. This 

 action, with a heavy rod and large fish on your line, is 

 very distressing, if continued even for a short time ; and 

 it will be necessary to repeat it often, if the channel is 



