200 Dry -Fly Fishing. 



the unattached rod has to cast about for pastures 

 new and bethink him where it may be best to go. 

 This was my dilemma, but, after much vacillation, 

 1 decided that I would pay a long contemplated 

 first visit to Ireland. Accordingly, near midnight 

 on the 1st I found myself at Milford Haven, and in 

 the darkling gloom, over much rough impedimenta 

 confusing to one's progress, stepped from the quay 

 on to the new steamship Great Western, a liner in 

 miniature, bound for Waterford, and due there, 

 weather permitting, about six o'clock the following 

 morning. 



A night at sea had a special charm for me, and 

 therefore I at once resolved to pass the solitary hours 

 of the night watches on deck. Soon the fog-horn 

 sounded for departure, the powerful engines put into 

 revolution the twin screws, and the vessel grace- 

 fully glided down the estuary^ and at length 

 into St. George's Channel, only a rather pleasant 

 than otherwise gentle upheaval on swelling waves 

 indicating that we were at sea. The ship was 

 replete with all modern improvements and inventions 

 (wonderful examples of the influence and triumphs 

 of the human mind over matter) ; two dynamos 

 supplied electric light to the deck saloon and fore- 

 cabin, to the engine-room, and to every other part 

 between decks. The steam power was used not only 

 to propel the ship at an average speed of sixteen 



