RAIN, HAIL, AND SLEET 137 



sink very deep. The storm was so heavy 

 that a pile of hail and snow rested on my 

 creel, and several other anglers, who were 

 out and who sought shelter, scarcely got 

 a fish between them. Such instances are 

 probably in the experience of most 

 practical fishermen." 



An experience, probably in some 

 respects unique, which befell Mr. Noble, 

 may here, though it also involves the 

 influence of conditions dealt with in later 

 chapters, be cited. He tells it thus : 



" On one occasion, thirty -three years A curious 

 ago, my father, an old Tweedside fisher, exp Tl 



* 'on the Esk. 



and myself were fishing the Esk. Our 

 sport had been nil ; clear sunshine and 

 great heat. Then came a slight, warm 

 shower of rain, and then a thunderstorm, 

 which, having lasted for some time, 

 turned to hail and snow. We had 

 arrived at a spot now occupied by Glad- 

 house Reservoir, the Edinburgh water- 

 supply. The trout were on the move, 

 and as quickly as my father cast his line 

 he had trout. In ten minutes or so we 



