CHAP. xi. Playing and Netting from a Boat. 151 



the Tamil proverb that the Paddy-bird or Indian Egret never takes a 

 fish out of a shoal, but waits till a solitary one passes. The proverb 

 was told me apropos of a criminal prosecution. I was running the 

 trail of a first-class plunderer, a regular tiger, amongst the poor sheep 

 committed to my protection as a ruler. There was a very twin to him 

 left as unnoticed the while as if I was utterly ignorant of his goings on. 

 But lookers-on, who wanted to see justice overtake the tyrant, told me 

 afterwards. " We understood you, Sir, you were like the Paddy-bird." 

 And so the story came. In this, then, prudent reader, be like the 

 Paddy-bird. 



Cannot you get a pull on him at all yet ? Wind him in whenever 

 you get a chance, either from his swimming in your direction, or 

 yielding ever so little to your steady unremitting pressure ; take every 

 inch you can ; still don't be in a hurry, don't attempt to put on more 

 pressure than your rod will bear, only keep on the pressure you have 

 on unremittingly, and whenever you feel it lessen ever so slightly take 

 as many turns of the winch as he will let you. Wind him in fast, but 

 keep your hand very lightly on the winch, ready to let go in a second 

 if he makes a plunge. Kr-r-r-r goes the winch, and he has made a 

 dash off on catching sight- of you and the boat. The rush is over. 

 Quick, and wind him in again. Ah, it is about his last run. Now 

 steady, wind in cautiously till you have got the line just such a length 

 that you can bring him up to the top at the side of the boat ; but keep 

 him off the boat. Don't attempt to lift him out by the rod ; he is too 

 big, and would break your top ; still less dream of touching the line, 

 Kuti knows all about it. He has got the landing-net out, a big salmon 

 landing-net, about i ft. 3 in. across the mouth, and 2 ft. 6 in. deep, and 

 very full so as to let the fish lie across directly it is in the net. Bring 

 the fish slowly towards him that he may take him into the net tail 

 foremost if he can. Be on the look-out, however, to keep a constant 

 taut line on the fish, for he will evade the net as it nears him. Never 

 mind the boat tilting to within two or three inches of the water; Kuti 

 knows exactly how much his boat will stand ; only do not you stand up 

 or otherwise move from your seat. It is not worth while going to the 

 shore to land your fish, besides there is no approachable shore within a 

 reasonable distance, for it is for a long way so forest-clad that you 

 could not get to land with an upright rod. Well netted, Kuti ; into the 

 boat with him. Five pound if he is an ounce. You have taken nearly 



