1152 The Carnatic Carp. CHAP. xi. 



a quarter of an hour over him. You ought to have had him in very 

 little over five minutes. You see his mouth is much smaller com- 

 paratively than a Mahseer's, and he is a somewhat thicker built, less 

 active-looking fish. However, we can discuss that hereafter. Do not 

 waste time looking at him now. Let us get back to the same place, 

 and try for another out of the same shoal. It was just a little below 

 the trunk of that large wild mango tree up there that you hooked him. 

 You have floated down a little and must make up to it again. Fish all 

 about that place. Well, that is not so bad, taking another 2|lb. and a 

 i|-lb. fish out of the same swim. 



You see the advantage of working a shoal when you have lit upon 

 one. But do not work it to death. They are not rising to you now. 

 They seem to have had quantum sufficit. Depend upon it some wary 

 old fogie has " twigged " you and " blabbed," with one of those wise 

 shakes of the head about the imprudence of youth, and they are all 

 looking at him to see if he is right, or only a fogie. If you throw 

 again you will give him a chance of venting a provoking " I told you 

 so." It is better they took him for a fool than you for a rogue. So 

 move on to "pastures new," and after you have gone, there will be a 

 row in the house. Natural food will come down stream, the old fellow, 

 full of his croaking, will abstain and advise all to be " varra carefu'," 

 but some youngster will take it, smack his lips, and turn the laugh 

 against the canny one ; and the next morning, when you come round 

 again, you will find his sage advice has been dissipated, and even his 

 own beliefs so shaken, that you will be as warmly received as ever, and, 

 may be, take in the old fellow himself. 



Do you see those monkeys moving about feeding in the trees down 

 there? Mark the place, for we must fish it very carefully when we 

 come to.it; my impression is that when monkeys are moving in trees 

 overhanging the water, the result is that more fruit and more insects 

 drop down into the water than ordinarily, and that the fish congregate 

 more or less from the neighbourhood to watch for them. As you get 

 nearer, and the monkeys notice you, they will commence vociferating 

 and violently shaking the boughs, which will still further improve the 

 position ; meanwhile we will not neglect the water between, but fish it 

 regularly down, till we come to the monkeys. Never mind its looking 

 almost still without any ripple on it, it may all hold fish. Drop an 

 enquiring line to know if there are any fools at home. You're sure to 



