160 SALMON FISHING IN THE TWEED 



had this poetical facility of seeing what did not 

 really exist in substance. A curious instance of 

 this popular talent occurred at a friend's house in 

 the country with whom he was staying. There 

 was a fine piece of water in the park, well stored 

 with fish, where he used to spend most part of the 

 morning, rod in hand ; so that his perseverance 

 excited considerable admiration from the host, as 

 well as from his guests. Not having been very 

 successful, his ardour at length began to flag. It 

 was a pity, for it is a pleasant thing to be excited. 

 What was to be done ? You shall see. A report 

 was raised that there was an enormous pike seen in 

 the water, about the length of a decent - sized 

 alligator. He was said to have maimed a full- 

 grown swan, and destroyed two cygnets, besides 

 sundry ducks. At first he was no more believed 

 in than the great sea snake, which encloses at least 

 half the world in his folds. But after the lapse of 

 a few days, the keeper came to the private ear of 

 my friend, and told him that a mortal large pike 

 was basking amongst some weeds, and could be 

 seen plainly. "You are sure to cotch en, sir." 

 He was rewarded for this intelligence, and exhorted 

 to keep the important secret from the other visitors 

 at the mansion. 



When piscator, cunning fellow! thought that 

 all were out of the way, employed in hunting, 

 shooting, or some other occupation, he and John 

 Barnes the keeper glided down secretly to the 

 awful spot, and they there descried the semblance 

 of a fish so enormous that it was doubted if any 

 thing less than a small rope could hold him. The 



