Landing the Fish. 275 



trick he is almost certain to resort to if he gets 

 below you and so wearing both your tackle and 

 your patience. Whenever he shows an inclination 

 to make for "foul" spots, such as roots of trees, 

 narrow rushing rapids, or dangerous places, whither 

 you cannot follow him, butt him severely, and turn 

 his head down the water. For, as Mr Penn says, 

 " if you can prevail upon him to walk a little way 

 down-stream with you, you will have no difficulty 

 afterwards in persuading him to let you have the 

 pleasure of seeing him at dinner." 



When the fish is well played out and exhibits 

 evident signs of defeat, select a gravelly channel or 

 level spot for a good landing, and winding close up, 

 bring him cautiously to the strand, then, with the 

 rod held well back in the left hand, seize him tight- 

 ly above the tail with the right, and drag him on 

 the bank. Do not consider him safe, however, till 

 he is beyond all reach of his native element, and do 

 not lay down the rod till then; for just as he is near- 

 ing the channel, or even when on it, he has a trick 

 sometimes of remembering that he has forgot some- 

 thing, and of suddenly disappearing to fetch it. 

 Though, of course, he " won't be absent a moment," 

 it is as well to keep firm hold of the rod as the only 

 pledge of his return. Let him have the line with 

 him, however, and recover as before whenever his 

 little game is over ; and as soon as you conveni- 



