TOM AND THE SALMON. 53 



rience, met with ! The fish lay, not like a mere 

 log, but a rock ! and for such a length of time, 

 that Tom really feared the fish was gone, leaving 

 his hook fast in a stump at the bottom of the 

 river, until a slight motion told him " all was 

 right." Again he pulled and tugged with all 

 the force his tackle would bear ; and at last, off 

 started old Silver- sides again. Again was the 

 battle renewed, sometimes in water, sometimes 

 high in air ; sometimes he took to the profundity ; 

 anon he was awakened from his awful slumber, and 

 off he started again ; then was he " bitted" under 

 the very tip of the rod ; and at last Tom " wore" 

 him round the point, near to yon small boat. 

 The shades of evening were then spreading their 

 hazy mantles over the valley. Eighteen yards of 

 line whizzed out, and were " paid" back. The 

 gaff was brought out and screwed together ; 

 fourteen yards more were wanted, but were lent 

 grudgingly ; another turn or two and the fish 

 floated on his huge sides as Tom wound him back 

 -wound him back to within a single yard of the 

 gaff ! Oh ! what an awful moment ! The mon- 

 ster gave one languid struggle and then the line 

 hung loose to the rod ; the hook had slipped its 

 hold, owing to the immense pressure ; and Tom 

 sank exhausted and spiritless on the ground ! 

 Thus terminated a struggle of two hours and 

 forty minutes ! and the fish Tom estimated at 



