124 -^^^gli^g Travels in Norway. 



and must, accordingly, instruct our companions on the 

 thwart. 



A common fault with rowers is to let the boat slip 

 down too fast, and to obviate this it is, in the first place, 

 essential that the weight, size, and construction of the 

 craft be suitable for the work in hand ; then the boatman 

 must sit down to his task, and if one-man power be not 

 sufficient, two hands must be employed ; but the boat 

 must be held up so that the pool can be fished literally 

 foot by foot. 



It is a very general habit among boatmen when harling 

 to switch the craft sharply round when turning near the 

 bank to commence the next beat. 



This procedure is suggested partly by anxiety to 

 keep the bait clear of the bottom, and in slow-running 

 pools it has advantages ; but, unless when absolutely 

 necessary, I much prefer to have the boat held up before 

 the turn, so that the bait may hang straight down stream 

 before the next beat be commenced, as by this means the 

 line is first upon a curve, then it hangs straight, and then 

 becomes again curved in the opposite direction, whereas, 

 if the boat be switched sharply round, the line for a 

 considerable period is in the form of a semi-circle, or, in 

 other words, greatly bagged, a situation always to be 

 avoided in angling. 



When rowing the boat for an angler casting a pool, 



