HOW TO LAND A FISH. 167 



salmon is the a^ of it ! During its operation, 

 one's nerves, aye and muscles too, are continually 

 upon the greatest stretch ; and only imagine this 

 state kept up for an hour or more, which is some- 

 times the case with large fish. Nay, I have even 

 known three hours and a-half spent upon a twenty 

 pound fish, by a first-rate fisherman. As it is, 

 this has kept me at work, not less than twelve 

 or fifteen minutes. He is tolerably bright for the 

 low state of the river. But let me carry him on 

 to the grass ; and do you stun him to death with 

 the but end of the gaff over the head, while I 

 hold him, and then measure his length and girth. 



Herb. From the tip of his nose to the centre 

 of his tail, twenty-nine inches and a half; girth, 

 fourteen inches. 



Theoph. It would have been better at twenty- 

 eight and a half length, and fifteen girth. Now, 

 out with the weighing-machine eight pounds 

 and a half standard weight, as I said. 



Herb. Tell me how did you manage to lay 

 hold of him so cleverly ? Why not have gaffed 

 him at once ? 



Theoph. In such a position as that in which I 

 stood, where one can get close to him, if you 

 have coolness sufficient, and have fairly killed 

 the fish, you may quietly grasp him with the right 

 hand just above the spread of his tail, and you 

 have him as firm as though he were already in a 



