ARTIFICIAL v. NATURAL MAY FLY. 97 



naturedly triumphing over him (for the utmost 

 cordiality and good nature prevailed amongst 

 these experts), but to no purpose. Where 

 one could not succeed, his friendly rival was 

 sure to fail. I can hardly say how they ex- 

 plained to themselves their singular defeat. 

 It could not be said that the trout were feeding 

 on some other flies, because we had the 

 evidence of our sight of the natural May Fly 

 sailing down right into the mouths of these 

 big trout. Here was the water in splendid 

 order, a very gentle westerly breeze blowing, 

 the May Fly abundant, and every man's own 

 particular fish coming up and gorging himself 

 sixty times an hour throughout the day, but 

 always fighting shy of the angler's fly, laugh- 

 ing in his gills at him, winking at him with one 

 eye shut, and saying : " Don't you wish you 

 could catch me?" I fancy there must be 

 among them a sentinel fish, whose duty it is 

 to sail up and down the stream, crying, 

 " Look out to-day ! There are seven of 'em 

 all of a heap ; keep your weather-eye open I" 1 

 At the finish, these seven fishermen, having 

 nothing else to boast of, boasted of the number 



1 Izaak Walton tells us of carp or bream that whilst 

 " most of them are seeking food at the bottom, yet one or 

 two will lie on the top of the water, rolling and tumbling 

 themselves whilst the rest are under him at the bottom ; 

 and so you shall perceive him to keep centinel." 



