CONTRARIES OF WEATHER AND SPORT 211 



were rises, without touches at the fly, in two successive 

 casts ; at the third I was fast in another good fish ; 

 saw him roll over and over on the surface, and lost 

 him. He was lightly hooked, and the little Killer and 

 the cast came back entire. It was a sea trout quite as 

 large as that last knocked on the head. But I could 

 afford one loss that day, and my philosophy was pre- 

 sently rewarded by a sea trout of 2\ Ib. As the golden 

 sun set in a world of rose-coloured clouds reflected in 

 one of the loveliest of bays, I found myself engaged in 

 a warm contest that seemed never to end. Twice 

 there was not a yard of line left on the small winch ; 

 several times I had to go into the water again ; between 

 whiles I was kept on the trot and canter, and was 

 puffing like an engine when the combat ended with a 

 grilse of 3^ Ib., the gaffing of which caused the loss 

 somehow of the ornamental handle of the instrument. 

 I never found the gaff handle, but I retain a vivid re- 

 membrance of my gymnastics during that superb 

 sunset. There was another sea trout to complete the 

 day's sport an inconsiderable pounder which my 

 henchman, however, strung up with the rest. Besides 

 the eleven fish (one salmon, two grilse, and eight sea 

 trout) there were some small brown trout, given to a 

 young Norsker who had been hanging about the bank ; 

 and the bag was altogether an honest 34 Ib. It must 

 be remembered that the stream was always so strong 

 that the endurance of the cast and strength of the rod 

 was a really remarkable fact. At times the rod was 

 bent until it seemed it must break somewhere, especi- 

 ally with the grilse and 5-lb. sea trout ; but it came 

 home as straight as ever. The same fine gut collar and 

 the one small Killer accounted for every fish caught 

 that day except the salmon, which was taken with 

 the usual salmon equipment. Yes ; balancing the 



