NECESSITY FOR BOATS. 155 



could fish from the shore; but generally speaking, owing 

 to the nature of the ground, and the great breadth of 

 the river, it was only with the assistance of a boat that 

 much execution was to be done ; and as there was more 

 than one insurmountable rapid on the river, I usually had 

 a boat stationed at the head of each, so that by changing 

 from one boat to the other, I could, in the course of the 

 morning fish to advantage the greater part of the river ; 

 and the ground and the scenery being thus diversified, 

 tended greatly to enhance the amusement. 



In calm weather I rarely had more than one boatman; 

 but when blowing hard, especially if the wind was down 

 stream, a second was generally required, as well in order 

 that the boat might be under better control, as that in 

 the event of hooking a heavy fish, and his taking up 

 stream, we might be able to keep our proper place, not 

 always practicable with a single pair of oars. 



When one of the large trout was fairly hooked, he was 

 usually landed in the course of ten minutes or a quarter 

 of an hour. But this was greatly attributable to the advan- 

 tage a boat gave us, and to the river, in some parts, being 

 studded with islets or rocks, which afforded us ready means 

 of landing ourselves, and gaffing him. 



If, however, he was hooked foul, as not unfrequently 

 happened, the chase might be long and arduous. I re- 

 member, in one instance, getting hold of a big fellow by 

 the dorsal fin, in a rapid immediately near to the Wenern 

 itself; but in spite of every effort on my part to stop him, he 

 brought us more than a mile down the river. During the 

 descent we landed on four or five different islets, in the hope 

 of bringing him up ; but so soon as sufficiently near to sight 





