136 Dry-Fly Fishing. 



occasion obtained within two hours, and aggregating 

 thirty and a half brace. 



It was a lovely night ; innumerable stars spangled 

 the clear blue sky, and the landscape seemed to sleep 

 in the soft light of the harvest moon. 



On October 3rd, at noon, many large grayling 

 had worked up to the shallows under the pretty 

 little weir over which the water from the Shawford 

 House garden reach was falling in a glassy cascade. 

 The overhanging trees prevented overhand casting, 

 but, by kneeling and crouching low, my fly could 

 be sent forward over them. It was not noticed at 

 first, but at the third essay it was snatched at, and 

 the grayling hooked : fortunately he turned, and, 

 rushing zigzag down stream without disturbing the 

 others, was followed and netted out. After 

 prudently waiting a time, the weir was again 

 quietly approached, and still the grayling were seen 

 there, but now, more on the alert, rising to olive 

 duns. My very poor imitation was nevertheless 

 taken at the first throw as it lightly dropped in the 

 white froth and among the air-bubbles under the 

 waterfall, and a grayling well hooked and landed, 

 his desperate struggling causing the other fish to 

 scurry away out of the pool. It was satisfactory 

 to know, while consuming an al fresco luncheon 

 which followed, that a handsome brace was already 

 in the creel indeed, it gave a zest to appetite. 



