188 THE GOONCH AND SOULEE. 



he had sometimes fished for mahseer with a whole parrot ! I 

 must say, however, he was as celebrated for his exploits with 

 the "bow" as with the rod. But, joking apart, I hesitate to 

 describe some of the contrivances in the shape of flies I have 

 known used with success for the huge fish in the Dehra Boon 

 rivers, lest it should provoke a smile from the incredulous. 



A propos of these big mahseer, a fisherman acquaintance of 

 mine used to relate an amusing little anecdote of his angling 

 experiences in the Boon. On one occasion he was out with 

 a companion who was but a novice, and not quite such an 

 enthusiast in the craft as himself. Observing his friend had 

 got into difficulties with a monstrous big fish he had been for 

 some time holding on to in a pool below, he proceeded to offer 

 him his advice and assistance. Just as he reached him, how- 

 ever, the monster parted company with the line, when the 

 novice, being unaware of the presence of any one so near him, 

 was overheard to exclaim with a sigh of relief, " Thank good- 

 ness he's gone ! " 



A coarse shark-like fish called a " goonch " is occasionally 

 caught when spinning for mahseer. A monster of this kind 

 was landed from one of the Doon rivers by that keen all- 

 round sportsman Mr Hercules Eoss, B.C.S. (of rifle-shooting 

 fame), which scaled considerably over 100 Ib. Another 

 member of the finny tribe which is sometimes taken in these 

 waters is the " soulee," a smooth-skinned, dark olive-coloured 

 fish, having a broad bull-head, and a fin extending round its 

 caudal extremity, like a conger-eel in fact it somewhat 

 resembles an enormously thick and very short one. Unlike 

 the mahseer, which loves a rocky or gravelly bottom, the 

 soulee affects deep sandy holes. I do not remember ever 

 having taken one with the fly, though I have frequently 

 killed them, up to 8 or 10 Ib., with trolling baits ; and I 

 do not think they often exceed this weight. The soulee 

 always takes your bait near the bottom, and in its first rush 

 frequently leaps once or more from the water, after which it 



