ROD IN WALES 25 



every moment the cast would snap, I 

 became possessed of a strange sensation 

 of utter helplessness which is more than 

 I can describe. I could not even turn to 

 look round, but I felt that the fish was on, 

 and that he was floating in the current. 

 Then my spirits sank, for the rod 

 sprang back and the line fell limp upon 

 the water. Feeling now assured that the 

 cast had at last given, I got on to a more 

 secure position and began winding up. 

 But there, nearly twenty yards below 

 me, was the faithful Amos sprawling 

 along the trunk of an over hanging alder 

 tree, the fish in one hand and his hat, 

 which had done duty as a landing-net, 

 in the other. Now he was endeavour- 

 ing to " land " himself by a kind of 

 backward shuffle along the branch. 

 The trout had been hooked " foul " 

 in the back, just under the dorsal fin, 

 hence his extraordinary tactics and my 

 inability to head him back into the 



