152 ANGLING & ART IN SCOTLAND 



the worthy minister was actually playing a heavy 

 fish within sight of the windows, a large crowd 

 gathered as if by magic upon the terrace. Every 

 point of vantage was quickly secured — many of 

 the spectators being armed with opera-glasses, or 

 other instruments for assisting the ordinary vision. 



It was soon recognised that the fish was 

 an exceptionally heavy one, for he continued to 

 maintain his position deep down in the water. 

 Indeed he showed little signs of making any de- 

 cided movement beyond a constant revolution in 

 a small circle, accompanied by a perpetual tugging 

 of the line. 



As the minutes slowly passed by, the excitement 

 amongst the onlookers became intense. The en- 

 forced inactivity began to tell palpably on their 

 nerves ; so that, when a suggestion was made 

 that possibly the minister had no gaff in the boat, 

 the idea was accepted with the greatest avidity. 

 Many eager hands forthwith rushed off to secure 

 an implement with which to land the monster — 

 anything, to allay the numbing sense of inaction 

 which had well-nigh overmastered the crowd. In 

 a very few minutes a gaff was forthcoming, and 

 a gillie despatched to the assistance of the hero 



