104 CHATS ON ANGLING. 



very red — the fish I mean, not my host! — although he must have been 

 up some time. 



The same thing went on all the next week. A few desultory showers 

 did not help us much, and at the end of a fortnight's solid work I 

 could only show two small salmon of 71b. apiece, my host one of 21 lb., 

 and S., who had confined his attention to the trout after the first few 

 days, had not landed any fish. And so it is — too often, alas ! — that 

 our hopes are doomed to disappointment. There were the fish, plenty 

 of them ; but also there were the gradually dwindling river and the 

 expanding river bed. Nothing was wanting save a kindly and copious 

 fall of rain — so much needed by three ardent anglers — rain that was 

 falling only too copiously down South, whilst the normally wet North- 

 West coast of Scotland was languishing for want of it. 



A dear fishing friend of mine took a rod for February one year, 

 and lived at Brawl Castle for the month at the rate of about £\ per 

 day. During the whole month the river and even Loch More were 

 ice-bound, and his rods reposed in the box. The trip must have cost 

 him the best part of £100. So our Spean experience was as nothing 

 to his. 



And these disappointments make an admirable foil for those happy, 

 though not too frequent, times when, for a wonder, river, fish, and 

 weather are all we could desire them to be. How little we should 

 value them were they of constant recurrence. So, consoling ourselves 

 with these reflections, we enjoy to the full the pleasure of the company 

 of kindred spirits, tie flies, grease lines, and fettle up rods generally, 

 yarn away our fishermen's tales, drink nightly the toast of " Rain, 

 and lots of it," and retire at night, confident, despite all, of the 

 morrow. 



Perchance your next holiday up North you may find your pet river 

 in sullen, heavy flood, the skies pouring down upon the devoted hills 

 a constant deluge. Each day you mark on the river bank the water 

 level, only to find your mark submerged the next day. Supposing even 

 it were to stop now. Could the river fine down sufficiently before the 

 end of your stay to enable you to have a glimmering hope of a fish ? 

 It is possible, but doubtful. Next day's deluge settles the matter, and 

 you are done. But still, it is a poor heart that never rejoices. Next 



