82 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



and drew him loud quacking to the bank. When 

 landed I squeezed my clothes a little, according to 

 order ; but I do not believe that I benefited my 

 chilblains. 



At a rather more advanced period of my life I 

 used to make long fishing excursions, generally with 

 prosperous, but occasionally with disastrous results. 

 I remember well, when a pair of bait-hooks was to 

 me a valuable concern, I hooked two large black- 

 looking trouts in a deep pool at the same time. As 

 I had to pull them several feet upwards against the 

 pressure of the stream, my line gave way, and left 

 me proprietor of a small fragment only. For some 

 time I looked alternately at my widowed rod and 

 my departed fish ; which last were coursing it round 

 and round the pool, pulling in opposite directions, 

 like coupled dogs of dissenting opinions : Durum 

 sed levius fit patientia. So I sat down with some- 

 what of a rueful countenance, and began to spin 

 with my fingers some horse-hair which I had pulled 

 that morning, at the risk of my life, from the grey 

 colt's tail. This being done in my own peculiar 

 manner, and my only remaining hook being tied on 

 with one of the aforesaid hairs, I continued to 

 follow my sport down the stream for about half a 

 mile. After the lapse of a considerable time, I had 

 occasion to cross bare-legged from one bank to the 

 other. In my transit through the current, I found 

 something like a sharp instrument cutting the 

 calves of my legs. I scampered ashore, under the 

 impression that I was trailing after me some sharp- 

 toothed monster, perhaps a lamper eel ; when, 



