ON WADING 139 



he hopes to keep his presence unsuspected ; but 

 this he would effect with much greater comfort 

 to himself and less annoyance to others, if he would 

 turn about and face upstream. As we have indi- 

 cated above, quiet wading seems to have little 

 or no influence on the trout round about ; but 

 it is somewhat difficult to believe that, no matter 

 how often they appear unconcerned, and therefore, 

 since an angler who has lost hope is unlikely to 

 gain success, we think that the practice could 

 well be discontinued to the advantage of every- 

 one. 



Wading is not unattended with danger ; an 

 incautious step may lead to disaster and a sudden 

 termination to a spell of good sport. It is more 

 probable that one will omit to take care when 

 things are going well than when the trout are dour 

 and look without favour on the flies. Attention 

 is in such circumstances directed entirely upon the 

 great opportunity, and other matters are neglected. 



Some of our rivers are characterised by ledges 

 of rock on which one may walk easily and in com- 

 fort for many yards on a smooth surface only a 

 few inches under water, but the path is narrow and 

 its end abrupt ; black depth awaits a hasty step. 

 In other rivers there are other perils, chief among 

 which is yielding gravel. On the Clyde there 

 are many deep pots whose sides are steep, almost 

 vertical, and the gravel surrounding them is small, 

 loose, and crumbling ; on the Earn there is at 

 least one such place. It is well to know them and 

 treat them with respect, but the angler in his eager- 

 ness is apt to forget, until his feet begin to slip 

 from under him. 



