PLAYING A FISH. 165 



good craftsman, never touch the line yourself, nor 

 suffer any one else to do so, while you are playing 

 and landing a powerful fish. To return. Perhaps 

 your captive is not yet exhausted your approach 

 has aroused him ; again he rushes, with desperate 

 vigour, into the middle of the stream, taking with 

 him some ten or a dozen yards of line. Fly to 

 your arms, and battle with him as before. But a 

 few minutes will suffice to decide the contest. 

 He comes in on his side again, but now powerless 

 and dying, and you wind up your line as he ap- 

 proaches. He is close to the shore. Remember, 

 do not attempt to drag him up the bank. Delay 

 not a moment ; stick in your rod rush down 

 approach him from behind seize him in the 

 middle toss him ashore give him a rap on the 

 head against a stone or the butt of your rod, to 



" Still his pantings of dismay" 



basket him he is yours ; " the contest is over, 

 and you have now the pleasure of beholding your 

 prostrate foe beaten in his own element, forced 

 from it, and with weapons so weak that, if strength 

 could compete with art, you would not have been 

 able to hold him in check for a moment. You 

 feel, moreover, that you could not have accom- 

 plished such a feat without exercising great com- 



M 3 



