THE TOP WATER 95 



reply to such objections, it may be urged that 

 the prime and cardinal point is to hook your 

 fish, and that such difficulties (the prospect of 

 which may even add a zest to your sport) can 

 be left to be dealt with as they occur. Any 

 fixed standpoint from which to cast is preferable 

 to a boat, wherein you are subject to the 

 vagaries of your boatman. 



Still, boats are constantly required. When 

 we arrived we found only two on the upper 

 waters, and learnt that it was customary for 

 each angler to start in one at his top cast, and 

 to descend the river from pool to pool till he 

 came to the end of his water ; the boat being 

 taken back by cart next morning. This was a 

 most unsatisfactory arrangement. You could 

 not choose your pool to commence with, you 

 were unable to return to it when once it was 

 left behind, and you were tied to an unchanging 

 routine. So I procured a number of boats, 

 sufficient to provide one for each important 

 pool. Splendid craft, stout, buoyant, and in 

 every way serviceable, are built in Bergen or 

 the neighbourhood, and in this land of abundant 

 timber, cost only thirty shillings each. On the 

 Sundals-Elv and some other rivers it is custom- 



