SEA TROUT FISHING 175 



trout, and to be wading amongst sea weed, 

 throwing small flies in common salt water with 

 a split cane rod, seemed perfectly foolish and 

 mad. The burns were only large enough for 

 minnows, and I could see that there was nothing 

 in them. Discomfort was added to hopelessness, 

 for my mackintosh had been forgotten, and some 

 miles of rough peat hags and bogs were between 

 me and the house : the morning had been fine, 

 but about ten o'clock a series of cold, pitiless 

 storms began, which lashed the voe with wind 

 and heavy rain. This would not have been 

 intolerable, if it had not been for the long waders, 

 without which the deep water of the voe could 

 not be reached ; but to stand in heavy rain with 

 waders nearly up to the arm-pits, and without an 

 overcoat, is to turn oneself into a receptacle for 

 collecting fresh water. Desolate hills rose imme- 

 diately behind, and as each storm came frowning 

 up over the top of them, I retired from the 

 water and crouched behind an old boat on the 

 shore till the fury was past. After some hours 

 of flogging the sea, hooking only sea weed, and 

 dodging the storms, there was no spirit left 

 in me. Blank despair overwhelmed me, and 1 



