SALMON 21 



to strike, to feel that he is hooked. And 

 well-hooked he usually is under the circum- 

 stances. For a second or two the fish does 

 nothing, as is commonly the way of big fish. 

 Then, with an irresistible rush, he goes down 

 and across the pool, taking fifty yards from 

 my reel as though there were no check to it. 

 As I scramble ashore from the boat, the 

 backing of my line feels uncomfortably thin. 

 Back he comes at me almost as quickly as he 

 went away, then down again into the deep 

 water. A terrible jiggering ensues, and my 

 knees knock together in excitement and terror 

 that he will escape. And so the fight goes 

 on. When at length his strength is spent and 

 he is towed into the quiet water under the 

 bank, poor old Lars can hardly see in the 

 treacherous light to put the gaff into him ; but 

 the habit of years comes to his assistance, and 

 the deed is successfully done. A fine, fresh- 

 run 26-pounder he is. Such fish are, I be- 

 lieve, for strength and courage the perfection 

 of salmon-kind. 



The tide is now too high to continue, and 

 we cross over to The Bank, in time to see D. 

 land a fish of 19 Ib. 



