COSTA. 57 



The ills foretold by the man of omens had 

 come to pass. 



" My dear fellow/' he exclaimed, when 

 I told him all, " if you will start on a Friday, 

 que voulez vousl. " 



I was silent. Perhaps it would have been 

 wiser to have selected some other day. 



Nevertheless, it was a delightful week for 

 a " Saturday " angler, but, now, when I take 

 up my Field and scan Reports from Rivers, 

 Lakes, etc., I think I understand what is 

 meant when, for Yorkshire rivers, I read 

 " strong winds and gales." The Dry Fly 

 Enthusiast says he does, on the Costa; and I 

 know that the trail of the Alexandra is in his 

 thoughts. 



A violent gust; the sound of a match 

 being struck; a muttered exclamation. The 

 first two synchronised, the exclamation 

 followed. 



Thus guided, I sought the other side of 

 the hedge, and found him, with rod spiked, 

 standing in the midst of a little circle of dead 



