72 AN OPEN CREEL 



How many fish should have been landed I know not, 

 but there were certainly several good rises among many 

 that were by no means good. At half-past one the 

 river might have been empty of fish for all the sign 

 there was of them. One trout was seen to rise quietly 

 under the opposite bank about a quarter to two, and he 

 was the last. Nor when he was in the net did he 

 appear to be in condition yet, so he too went back, and 

 my basket was a blank. From two to seven is five 

 hours a long time to stand about waiting for a chance 

 rise, and I need only add that the chance rise did not 

 come. 



On Tuesday I was informed that the journal which 

 had told us about the earthquake spoke of " local 

 showers, weather decidedly warmer." Therefore I 

 put on thicker raiment, and superimposed a mackin- 

 tosh. Both safeguards were justified, for the wind had 

 increased, and was bitter, though changed in direction, 

 while the local showers began as we stepped into the 

 trap after breakfast, and were going on when we got 

 out of it in the evening. In reviewing Monday's events 

 I said that five hours, from two till seven, are a long 

 time to wait for a rise. It is hardly necessary to 

 suggest that eight hours, from eleven to seven, are 

 longer still. That was the period devoted by me to the 

 business on Tuesday, my chief distractions being the 

 hurricane, the local showers, and a wonder when the 

 " decidedly warmer " part of the day was to be ex- 

 pected. I learnt afterwards that there was a hatch of 

 fly on a higher reach of the water, and that it re- 

 sembled the one on Monday, both in character and 

 duration. But I cannot speak from my own know- 



