52 GRAYLING FISHING ON THE ITCH EN 



V 



no attraction for them. A solitary rise once in an 

 hour is not good enough to wait for with an 

 easterly wind at your back and glaring sun in your 

 face. 



I changed my flies four times over one rising 

 fish, which I hoped was a grayling, but I feared 

 was a trout, from his position close under the 

 opposite bank. At last I put on a light blue 

 Silver Twist. He came at it at once, and I had 

 him. He leaped a yard out of the water, and 

 fought with more spirit than I had hoped for. He 

 came into the net a good \\ lb. trout ; the envious 

 Professor said he was only i J lb. 



It was October 8, 1 was reminded by the Professor. 

 So, after all the skill, time, and patience I had 

 bestowed on that lovely trout, I had to put him 

 back into the river. A few hours afterwards I 

 saw him again at the same old spot, rising as 

 freely as if he had never had the toothache. We 

 had no scales, so he could not be weighed before I 

 gave him his grateful plunge. The Professor and 

 I are still at loggerheads about his weight. 



The Professor suggested that whenever by any 

 unusual chance we saw a rise, we should toss up 

 to decide which of us should have a go at him, 

 but nothing came of it. 



I now put by my fishing implements with but 

 little hope of taking them up again for at least 

 six months and so, happy anglers, I bid you 

 farewell ! 



