THE UPPER RIVER 77 



seldom fish of ordinary size go down very far, 

 if properly handled ! Fish seem to know when 

 a novice wields the rod; they at once take 

 command, and the pace at which they will go 

 down stream (and the novice after them) is 

 amazing. " Hands " are as valuable on the river 

 as in the hunting-field. 



But there are occasions when nothing will 

 stop a fish. Some years ago W. hooked an 

 uncontrollable fish at this spot. It made down 

 stream, Anders murmuring at intervals that it 

 was the biggest fish ever hooked in the river 

 "En meget meget stor lax." They landed on 

 the bank in Furenaes Stream, but failed to 

 stop the fish from running into the rough 

 and dangerous rapid below, through which the 

 valiant Captain K. once paddled and swam. 

 So they took to the boat again, and followed 

 the fish down the rapid. It was ultimately 

 killed in Aamot's Pool, and proved to be a 

 14-pounder hooked in the tail. The more you 

 pull at a fish so hooked, the more you turn 

 its head down stream. 



I remember a singular adventure of my 

 friend S. when we were fishing a river farther 

 north together. He hooked a fish at the tail 



