122 Fly Fishing for Trout, 



three or four days in July. One bright clear day, 

 at the end of July, I was fishing at Chiltern Bridge. 

 The river was like glass, the sun piping hot ; not 

 a breath stirring. The fisherman shook his head 

 and advised us waiting till the evening. However, 

 I donned my waders, and went into the middle of 

 the river. On the shallows above the bridge I 

 noticed some very fine fellows lying some yards 

 above me, now and again showing their big tails 

 above the water. I put on a small Soldier Palmer, 

 with gold twist (a very favourite fly of mine), and 

 threw over a big fellow I saw near some weeds. 

 He took not the slightest notice of my lure the 

 first or second cast ; at the third I saw him turn 

 his head, and I turned my wrist. Ah ! We then 

 had a struggle ; he rushed across the stream to his 

 hiding-place, but I had the advantage of being 

 below him. I brought him down, and soon had 

 him in my basket, nearly two pounds, and a beauty. 

 I patiently and broilingly continued my plan, and 

 by luncheon time had taken two brace of beautiful 

 fish with this Soldier Palmer. We sketched all the 

 afternoon (my friend would not fish, declaring it too 

 useless and too hot), and in the evening, about 

 seven, we put on the Coachman, and before half- 

 past eight we each had our five brace of magnificent 

 fish, not one under a pound and a-half The next 

 day the weather changed ; it was dark and stormy, 



