10 SALMON FISHING 



Who shall blame him ? When he has caught one 

 salmon, the Judge will be as ready for the next as 

 any seasoned sportsman ; but it is not astonishing 

 that recollection of his first battle, in which he was 

 worsted, made him regard the prospect of another 

 with trepidation. Any man who has fought and 

 lost may well have salmon-fright until he has fought 

 and won. The initial and imperfect experience 

 makes a lasting impression on mind and nerves. 

 Indeed, I think it is only because of knowledge that 

 the great fish will probably be vanquished that any 

 of us makes the venture. A fair analogy may be 

 derived from meditation on fisticuffs. Many a one, 

 I think, would be ill at ease if he knew he had 

 to meet a noted bruiser to-morrow ; but all is well 

 when you are comfortably fighting. Anticipation is 

 worse than the event. In salmon fishing the reassur- 

 ing experience often comes through sheer good luck. 

 A fish rises; he hooks himself; whether you wish it 

 or not, you have to go on with the affair. You 

 pull through successfully, and are a salmon fisher 

 for ever afterwards. You will read eagerly every 

 salmon -fishing book or article or paragraph that 

 comes your way; often, when immersed in prosaic 

 affairs of business or of politics or of society, your 

 thoughts will wander to the water ; and thither you 

 will go whenever a holiday can be snatched. The 

 prospect of sport is hardly less cheering than the 

 sport itself. How joyful the afternoon that is spent 

 in preparation for catching the Scotch Express ! 

 You do not travel by day. That would mean arriv- 



