A Fine Specimen. 175 



'* You see that top bough of the tree that 

 the boy is climbing to," I answered. *^ Well, 

 it's up there." 



** Too strong in the arm, my boy," said he, 

 ^* for this sort of fishing in the Ivel." 



After a lot of trouble the lad secured my 

 prize, and I took it home, with the crazy idea 

 of having it stuffed, like I have seen other big 

 fish stuffed and hung up in cases in the smoking 

 parlours of our hotels. I had gathered a fairly 

 good collection of masks, antlers, etc., during 

 my career, and I had some idea of adding this 

 trophy to my treasures. It wanted a lot of 

 persuasion on the part of my sporting friend to 

 convince me that — not having caught anything 

 himself — he was not jealous, and that, really^ 

 my magnificent capture was not sizeable. 



That was my first and last experience of 

 fishing as a pastime, and even when my hunt- 

 ing days were over I was never tempted to 

 repeat it. No doubt that, to be a skilled and 

 successful angler, one must have a lot of 

 patience ; my friends who know me best assert 

 that therein I am most lacking. 



