AND ANGLING SONGS. 285 



hurried, or rather was dragged, forwards in rear of the chase, the 

 respectful distance of seventy yards being kept up betwixt us. 

 Still the salmon pressed on, but at a more leisurely rate, and, to 

 keep pace with him in his way towards the foot of the pool, I 

 had to pass my rod across the stems of several trees and bushes ; 

 also to hold it low, and in a direction nearly parallel to the water, 

 in order to avoid coming into contact with the branch-work 

 overhead. On reaching the shallows which divide the Nine- 

 wells from the Turnpool stream, the fish once more doubled 

 rapidly in upon me, skimming the surface, as he did so, and 

 making the water fly on all sides of him. In order to keep a 

 taut line, I had again, with all possible speed, to retrace my steps 

 upwards, and managed at length, in spite of a good deal of 

 manoeuvring on his part, to arrive at the place where my reel- 

 handle had been jerked off. Fortunately, I stumbled on the 

 object of my search, and, notwithstanding that I could only 

 derive slow and imperfect assistance from it in the way of 

 winding-up, it was to its recovery alone that I owed, after a 

 protracted and exhausting contest, my good fortune in securing 

 what turned out to be a fine newly-run male salmon of twenty 

 pounds' weight. The casting-line, I may mention, was of single 

 gut, and the hook of size No. 8 in Philips' arrangement. 



In running a salmon, two rules should always, if possible, be 

 observed. To these, in the above instance, it was put out of my 

 power to give effect, but the generality of occasions admit of 

 their being followed to the letter. The one is, always keep up 

 to your fish, and at right angles, or nearly so, with his head, no 

 matter whether he presses down or up the stream. The other 

 is, having studied the strength of your line, which every salmon- 

 fisher should do, never employing faulty tackle, keep an equable, 

 it need not be strong, pressure upon him. Let him know at 

 once you have the mastery over him, even with a light line, by 

 acting decisively ; and when humouring him, never so far relax 



