DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 265 



abundant and not transferable to our homes in 

 England, salmon appeared on the table at nearly 

 every meal until, with the hope of varying our fish 

 diet, we determined on a visit to Lough Nafooey 

 for pike. This day's outing was eminently pleasure- 

 able, made so at its start by the lovely drive, during 

 which we were kept quite excited by the accounts 

 of the monsters that there was more than a pro- 

 bability of our capturing. Then, again, Emery 

 was elated on learning that there was a chance 

 of gillaroo trout, on which he had set his desire, 

 in the stream that connects Lough Nafooey with 

 Lough Mask. 



When on the lough, with the baits spinning, 

 little time passed without excitement and, now 

 and then, a fish. Emery had tugs from fish we 

 much wanted to know the weight of; one of them 

 was quite a monster, for, when it turned, it showed 

 something of its size to me ; but the heaviest we 

 got weighed just thirteen pounds. 



We left the pike fishing early to get the much- 

 desired trout and succeeded in getting a few, one 

 of which Emery opened to satisfy himself as to this 

 fish's peculiar possession a birdlike crop, holding, 

 in this case, food and grit to grind it. 



We took some trouble to make the landlord 

 understand that our captures were worthy of his 

 cook's attention, but he shifted all responsibility 

 by taking me to the kitchen and introducing me 

 to her in such a way as made my task most difficult. 

 "Annie," said he, " the gentleman has come to tell 

 you how to cook fish." This was little likely to 

 help me, but, as often happens when hardest driven, 

 your good fairy whispers you the turn to take. 



