94 TREATISE ON FLY-FISHING. 



The bridge which crosses the river in the 

 centre of the town, is frequently lined with 

 persons watching the salmon, which are to be 

 seen three or four deep in the pools below, they 

 look like waving weeds, and remain in the same 

 position for hours. Boats are moored about one 

 hundred feet above the bridge, from whence 

 sportsmen catch an occasional fish with a shrimp, 

 impaled on a good sized hook ; the tackle being 

 necessarily fine, in consequence of the clearness 

 of the water, some skill is required to secure the 

 prey ; the spectators from above, enter with much 

 glee into the sport ; applauding the piscator, 

 when by patience and adroitness, he is successful, 

 and are equally bountiful in their raillery, when 

 for lack of these necessary qualities the fish 

 escapes. I remember watching with great inter- 

 est, the manoeuvres of one of these waiters upon 

 providence. He had hooked an unusually large 

 fish, and played him admirably for some time ; it 

 appeared quite exhausted, and allowed itself to 



