114 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING. 



brilliant sides Runjeet Singh's diamond, called " the 

 mountain of light," would sink into the deep obscure ; 

 — dazzled with the magnificent sight, I chuckled in 

 the plenitude of victory. This was unbecoming in 

 me, I own, for I should have borne my faculties 

 meekly ; but I was young and sanguine ; so (horresco 

 referens) I gave a smart turn of my body, and, 

 placing an arm akimbo, said, in an exulting tone, 

 and with a scrutinising look, " There, what do you 

 think of that ? " I did not see the astonishment in 

 Sawny's face that I had anticipated, neither did he 

 seem to regard me with the least degree of veneration 

 but giving my pet a shove with his nasty iron-shod 

 shoes, he simply said, 



" Hoot ! that's a wee bit gilse." 



This was laconic. I could hold no longer, for I hate 

 a detractor ; so I roundly told him that I did not 

 think he had ever caught so large a fish in all his life. 



" Did you now ? — own." 



" I suppose I have." 



" Suppose ! But don't you know ?" 



" I suppose I have." 



Speak decidedly, yes or no. That is no answer." 



" Well, then, I suppose* I have." 



And this was the sum total of what I could extract 

 from this nil achnirari fellow. 



A third person now joined us, whom I afterwards 

 discovered to be the renter of that part of the river. 

 He had a rod and tackle of the selfsame fashion with 



* Suppose, in Scotch, doss not imply a doubt, but denotes a cer- 

 tainty. 



