280 THE TROUT ARE RISING 



far-seeing Colonists who had so successfully 

 developed trout acclimatization abroad. 



Those of us whom fortune has favoured in 

 allowing us to fish for and catch trout both at 

 home and oversea, and especially those of us who 

 have been long in the Colonies though South 

 Africa is now a Dominion can rejoice at and 

 enter heartily into the unconcealed pleasure which 

 it gives a Colonial-born man to come and fish in 



O 



the Old Country. Countless kindnesses, thought- 

 ful consideration, great hospitality, friends un- 

 changed with the changing years such in brief 

 has been my experience of South Africans during 

 many years' stay amongst them. It was therefore 

 delightful, when fishing in Devonshire, to meet a 

 young South African, Major Blackburn, who 

 came to the same hotel. He was having a few 

 days' leave before he returned to his home at the 

 Cape. In keenness for trout-fishing we could all 

 learn something from him. He fished, and fished. 

 Big bags he got, too. Cold days, chilly water, 

 had no terror for him. One early spring day, 

 when two or three of us were on the river bank, 

 and feeling cold at that, he was, if you please, 

 wading in the water, fishing hard. Even that 

 day he got trout. No wonder he won the D.S.O. 

 and the M.C. 



Incidents at home connected with the thrilling 

 moment when a fish hooked needs playing 

 have curiously repeated themselves abroad. For 

 instance, I have witnessed the nervousness of a 

 novice whose first fish is tugging hard both in 



