I 9 2 LINES IN PLEASANT PLACES 



repressed, his first idea being to seize it and knock 

 it on the head with a stone. I have sufficient respect 

 for either salmon or grilse to finish them with the 

 orthodox priest, and that also is a function I like to 

 perform myself. Then comes the extraction of the 

 hook, always an interesting, because instructive, formula 

 for the angler. Next follows the satisfaction of weigh- 

 ing the game with a spring balance, and then seeing 

 that it is deposited in the boat with a covering 

 of ling or alder leaves as a protection against flies 

 or sun. 



Returning now to my evening, I may explain that 

 Ole was absent on leave, and that Knut, who was a 

 most intelligent young fellow and the schoolmaster of 

 the village, was anxious to use the gaff or net as the 

 case may be. Having caught a 3j-lb. grilse on a small 

 Butcher, I fished down Pot Pool very leisurely without 

 a touch. After a fair interval I removed the small 

 fly and elected to take my chance thereafter with a 

 Jock Scott of larger size. It was now about eight 

 o'clock, and we went down the pool again, having a 

 brief run with probably a grilse, which held fast only 

 a moment or two ; then I was becoming conscious again 

 of the monotony of fruitless casting wtten there was a 

 splendid spin of the winch. This, I confess, was of 

 such a nature that I rose at once and determined to 

 take my reward or punishment, as it might happen, 

 standing. It was an undoubted salmon, for fifty yards 

 down out of the water he came, the winch, curiously 

 enough, screaming all the time, and never ceasing when 

 he fell in with a loud splash and resumed his run. I had 

 about 115 yards of line on my winch, and I noticed, 

 just as the fish moderated his express speed, that there 

 could not have been ten yards left. 



He was fighting all the time. Knut, fortunately, 



