SAGACIOUS ANGLER 137 



spare tackle before they go felicity hunting ; for in 

 the wilds of Scotland it is not easy to replace any 

 loss that inexperience and ill fortune may occasion. 

 A friend of mine told me a circumstance, by which 

 it appeared that a very worthy person was consider- 

 ably embarrassed for want of this due precaution. 

 This said friend had been fishing in the river Shiel 

 in Inverness-shire, and was seated on a bank with a 

 large salmon before him that he had just caught. 

 He was eyeing the fish with complacency, and smok- 

 ing a cigar in all the enjoyment of success. Whilst 

 in this tranquil mood, a man suddenly vaulted over 

 the wall of the Shiel Bridge : 



" And when he had not the least suspicion, 

 Was with him like an apparition." 



This man he described to me as fresh in his attire. 

 Thin and new were his shoes new also was his 

 jacket, new his waistcoat, and novel his pantaloons ; 

 but newest of all was his top-varnished salmon rod, 

 turned out by Eaton : but he was shabbily thatched, 

 his hat being worse than common. His flies, to all 

 appearance, were made by the Turks men forbidden 

 by their religion to imitate any of the works of the 

 Creation. As for the man himself, no one could look 

 at him without being put in mind of Mantellini. 



" Demnition fine pool, sir/' 



' Very fine indeed, sir ; but you will never catch 

 a fish where you are casting at present, because fish 

 do not lie in that bare water." 



Upon this our man faced round, put his fore- 

 finger to his nose, and, with an expression of 



