224 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



for food. But they should be removed from the 

 river if possible, as they make great havoc in the 

 spawning beds. 



This information having been briefly given, Mr. 

 Tintern went up the river with his fishing rod, as 

 the sky was not yet clear enough for the main sport : 

 after having absented himself for a considerable 

 time, he returned to the party with a fish, which, 

 being too large for his basket, he held with his hand- 

 kerchief, a corner of which he had passed through 

 the gills. This fish he lifted up before Tom Purdie, 

 with an air of success that I never saw him assume 

 before, saying, " Now, Mr. Purdie, I have con- 

 quered a sea trout at last, and here he is ! " 



Tom was all aghast, for before the fish was laid 

 on the ground he thought he saw what he called 

 " a very nice new-swoomed gilse " ; but, upon a 

 closer inspection, his practised eye soon descried 

 the difference ; for it was a real river trout, of 

 above four pounds weight, and unusually bright in 

 colour. Tom turned him over and viewed the 

 other side, then turned him over again, and viewed 

 both sides with great seeming interest ; he then 

 examined his teeth and gills, and uttered a short 

 groan ; pulling out his snuff-box from his pocket, 

 and having solaced himself with a pinch, he took 

 a still more minute survey, looking alternately at 

 the fish and Mr. Tintern : at length, casting a re- 

 proachful glance at the animal, he said pithily, 

 " Od, and to be taen by the like o' him ! JJ 



The sky was now clear again, and the wind, 

 which had only been brought on by a few rising 



