HIGGINBOTHAM BROKE in 



comfited almost in the arms of victory. Being 

 totally driven from my propriety, I cannot be 

 answerable for what I said or did : something very 

 sublime it was, no doubt ; but let that pass. Cer- 

 tain it was that each particular hair of my head 

 stood on end with horror. As I had spare tops to 

 my rod, I soon set all to rights again. But throw, 

 and throw as I would, the salmon would not " come 

 and be killed " ; so I gave up the unreasonable 

 brute at last as unattainable. Nor could the Scotch- 

 man make any hand of him afterwards. In fisher- 

 men's language, / had set him down. 



The tail of the cast now grew broader, and it was 

 necessary to wade ; so in I went, " accoutred as I 

 was " ; that is to say, in light, flimsy walking shoes, 

 without nails. I soon perceived that the wet stones 

 were slippery and treacherous beyond endurance, 

 and that my shoes had no adhesive qualities. My 

 untutored feet took no hold, and I floundered about 

 in the superlative degree, quite innocent of a due 

 balance. At length, joyous to relate, I saw a break 

 in the water, and the switch of a fish's tail : I 

 struck, and found I had him fast. As for playing 

 him, I did no such thing ; on the contrary, I 

 honestly confess that he played me, and had all 

 along the best of it too for I could not keep my 

 footing. I swayed like a pendulum, only more un- 

 evenly, till down I went from a treacherous stone, 

 which joggled under my step, and tilted me in about 

 middle deep. Being thus sufficiently humid, I beat 

 a retreat as soon as I was able, and backed out on 

 the channel : arrived there, I felt the beauty of my 



