THE HARAKA CLUB. 217 



music of the waters. The boat was worked gently 

 down in a semicircle to the quiet bay on the other 

 side, while the fish as steadily followed, keeping 

 below in the deep and making several very violent 

 rushes. It was still dark, so that when I landed a 

 little below " grayling point " I could not see the 

 inclination of the line nor estimate the distance of the 

 fish from the shore. Suddenly, however, he appeared 

 on the surface some fifteen yards away, and, with a 

 swish of the tail, turned his prow down and cut the 

 water with a vigorous effort to escape. He had line 

 enough for any purpose but that, of which he soon 

 appeared to be convinced, and, resigning himself to 

 his fate, came back heavily and moodily to the gaff. 

 The gloom was still so great that Johann was obliged 

 to bend down and peer over the surface of the smooth 

 water to perceive his prey, which showing at last his 

 great dorsal fin and tail and bulky form near the 

 pebbly beach, received the coup de grace at the 

 hand of the gillie, who, unable to raise him altogether, 

 forcibly dragged and deposited the noble fish in safety. 

 He was well hooked in the tongue, extremely broad 

 in the beam, and of that dark mahogany colour, with 

 great black spots, which betokens one of the two 

 species of trout which obtain in Saima Lake. He 

 seemed spent and was rather thin in body, but five 

 hours after capture he weighed 18^1b. His form is 

 artistically delineated on the balcony floor next to 

 Mr. M.'s 16 and 14-pounders. 



Making another turn lower down, I had the good 



