246 Fishing in Estuaries. CHAP. xvm. 



pressure his struggles will do all the jerking you can possibly desire, 

 and that it is very dangerous for you to slacken ever so little for the 

 purpose of getting up a jerk. 



Before parting with the Bamin, I will quote from M., whom I have 

 already quoted as a member of the Bamin Committee : 



" We are agreed that they run stronger than Salmon for their size ; 

 but with gimp, and 100 yards on a good reel, the only danger of being 

 broken is their charging the piles under one's feet. The first one that 

 tried that broke me, but I find that with judicious use of stones they can 

 be kept off, and one gets down at last on to the shore of the river and 

 brings them to the landing-net." 



But the same writer had rather a rough time of it afterwards, as the 

 following letter will show : 



" I had rather a disastrous morning with the Ba-meen the other day. 

 A peon on watch reported they were feeding at daylight, though it was 

 then almost high tide, just beginning to run out. A lot of fry were under 

 the bridge, the Mullet were eating them, and the Ba-meen the Mullet. 

 This was under the still arches near one side, instead of, as usual, in the 

 centre where the current is strongest. The first fish I lost after playing a 

 few minutes. Hold gave way. 



" The next, a very lively fish, drowned me as I was getting off the 

 bridge as he ran down stream and got a bush between us. However, 

 being well hooked he did not get off, and I got the slack in, and had 

 nearly tired him out when, to my horror, I found the reel running stiff, 

 and at his next rush I could not give it him fast enough, and the bait came 

 back with one of the tail trebles straightened. 



" It turned out that a screw inside the reel had started and jammed 

 against the disc, into which it was cutting, and when opened the box was 

 full of brass filings. 



"This was, then, bad luck. I then put on a fresh phantom, having, 

 luckily, a second reel and line, and had two or three runs, the fish missing 

 being hooked. 



" This I attribute to my having tied the treble on stiff wire, making the 

 whole bait stiff. I then put on a guttapercha bait, a great favourite, and 

 had hardly begun when a fish took and bolted at once round a pile. I 

 make it a rule to break them directly they get close to a pile, but this 

 one I gave line to in hopes of saving my bait, and did so, a large treble 

 breaking. I got a boat and rescued line and bait but found the casting 

 line all frayed against the barnacles on the pile. I had now to set to 

 work and tie the stiff phantom afresh with gimp ; and, while doing so, a 

 monster rose under one of the arches. As soon as I was ready 1 went 



