BUSY BLACK FLIES 239 



water, it was fast ; and such beauties ! I fairly 

 groaned in spirit, as so many fell off when 

 raising them over the side of the boat mostly 

 all very large. My gaff was requisitioned on 

 some of them, and thus the two largest, 2 Ibs. 

 7 ozs. each, and five varying from If Ib. to 2 

 Ibs. 3 ozs., were saved. When I landed at 8.30, 

 there were twenty-seven in the boat, with only 

 one less than f Ib. 



It was now getting very hot, and the black 

 flies were in pursuit of their breakfast, as the 

 call from my inner man said I ought to be ; so 

 my line was reeled up, and the fish prepared 

 for carrying to the hotel. My friend of the 

 night before lived in the immediate neighbour- 

 hood, and had been watching my morning's 

 performance, and seeing me capturing so many 

 fish, he brought his wheelbarrow to help me, 

 so that with his assistance we got them easily 

 where they were placed in my friend Tybert's 

 ice-house, as were the salmon the night before. 

 It was 6.30 p.m. before I could get on the 

 pool again. The trout were as plentiful as 

 before, and the flies also. It might truthfully 

 be said it was like rain. 



If you have witnessed a school of mackerel 



