LINES IN PLEASANT PLACES 



the rod well curved all the while, and the fish held 

 hard, since there was doubly rapid water below, and it 

 must be kept sternly in hand. The gillie did not take 

 up the gaff now, and my hopes were dashed, for it 

 meant that he had recognised a kelt, which must be 

 tailed. And it was tailed, and being freed from the 

 hook was not slow in shooting into the depths. The 

 fish was well mended, and would be taken by most 

 people for a clean salmon. The expert can, on the 

 contrary, deliver judgment at a glance. 



There remained another hour before luncheon, and 

 the time was not wholly uneventful ; at any rate, 

 there were little thrills. A decided pull happened to 

 the Black Dog rod, but the fish was away before I 

 could take it up. A similar bit of frivolity was prac- 

 tised by another fish ten minutes later at my middle 

 rod, which, I forgot to say, had brought the well- 

 mended kelt to bank. Going to land for the midday 

 rest, as it was not quite one o'clock, I put up a rod 

 which I wished to try, and proposed to warm myself 

 with a little casting. The second cast rose a fish close 

 to the bank, and, after allowing the usual time for 

 restoration to confidence, out went the Nicholson, and 

 very bravely did that noble fly work round, swimming, 

 I could swear, on an even keel, and shaking its finery 

 all around in the water. The fly did not reach the fish 

 which had risen, because another was before him, and 

 I knew that the hook had gone home. We thought 

 this was a good fish, and fresh run, albeit he lay low 

 and confined his movements to a small area. Alas ! 

 it was kelt number two, and not more than 10 Ib. at 

 that. All the same, I had landed three fish of sorts by 

 one o'clock, and enjoyed minor sensations. 



There was no more fun. We had heard that 3 in. of 

 snow had fallen in the hills a few miles up, and the 



