186 SALMON FISHING IN THE TWEED 



a beast. Poussin, Virgil, the Apennines, all were 

 forgotten ; and he began to enter warmly into the 

 spirit of the present, and was curious to know by 

 what particular tactics one can contrive to get the 

 better of such a large furious monster, as he ex- 

 pressed it, with such apparently inadequate means, 

 when a small sea trout broke him with all the ease 

 imaginable. As I now reckoned upon his atten- 

 tion, I told him, as follows how to manage a large 

 salmon, and how a large salmon may manage us : 

 " When you get hold of a monstrum horrendum, 

 ingens of a fish, say of some five and forty pounds, 

 you must anticipate a very long and severe battle. 

 If, therefore, you have a disposable gilly with you, 

 despatch him instantly for some skilful fisherman, 

 as well to assist you when you are exhausted with 

 fatigue, as to bring your dinner and supper ; not 

 forgetting a dark lantern, that you may not be 

 beaten by the shades of night a circumstance by 

 no means improbable. At the first onset you will 

 probably be obliged to keep your arms and rod 

 aloft, in order to steer clear of the rocks. This 

 action, with a heavy rod and large fish on your 

 line, is very distressing, if continued even for a 

 short time ; and it will be necessary to repeat it 

 often, if the channel is not very favourable ; and in 

 that case your muscles will ache insupportably, if 

 they at all resemble those of other men. The 

 easiest position, when it is safe to use it, is to place 

 the butt of your rod against the stomach as a rest, 

 and to bring the upper part of the arm and the 

 elbow in close contact with the sides, putting on at 

 the same time an air of determination. 



