OLD JOYS IN NEW PLACES 279 



Hard and determinedly I fished all that afternoon. 

 Not a sign of trout was to be seen. Having 

 covered a mile, I came to the Dargle Falls, not 

 far from which spot was a Natal Police station, 

 near Selsley Farm. Then the secret was ex- 

 plained. On the side of the Falls where I had 

 been ceaselessly casting the wet fly, there were no 

 trout, or at any rate very few, then. They were, 

 in those days, concentrated in the length on the 

 other side of the Falls. Nightfall would soon 

 come, but there was yet time on the other side of 

 the Falls, and then, near the white bridge of happy 

 memory, was to be seen a satisfying sight : trout 

 rising ! By the time I got to work it was nearly 

 dark, but good fortune sent the fly right over a 

 rising trout, which took it. It was not a good 

 light, and the trout fought fiercely ; how I did 

 hope I should steer him clear of those rushes ! I 

 did so want to catch my first trout again ! At 

 last he came towards the landing net, and was 

 gathered in. My first trout in England, described 

 in the first chapter, was not big enough to keep, 

 and had to be returned to the water ; but this 

 game South African fellow, weighing about half 

 a pound, was sizable, fat, and in prime condition. 

 In every way the sport with him was as good as 

 with trout on any water which I have fished. 

 Supremely happy, with the moon guiding the 

 night into the way of peace, I sought the path to 

 the farm ; my "first trout again " made me a boy 

 once more, and amongst my thoughts, I hope, 

 was a sincere thank-you to those good, sporting, 



