A SLIGHT EMBARRASSMENT. 



151 



"Demnition hard that, sir. What an extraordinary 

 incident ! Fish well managed, dexterously, artisti- 

 cally. Very odd indeed, sir : beautifully played ; — 

 fine rod, fine hand. Demnition hard, I must say. 

 Now how far must I go to get a line ? " 



" If you mean to get the same, probably to the 

 middle of the Irish Channel, or the mouth of the 

 Shannon ; but if you seek a new one, which I think 

 would be the most prudent course, walk up to the 

 road, and you will see a mile-stone, which says, ' To 

 Inverness 120 miles,' — exactly a mile for every yard 

 of line you have lost, and I am sorry for it." 



Casting the fly is a knack, and cannot well be taught 

 but by experience : the spring of the rod should do the 

 chief work, and not the labour of your arm. To effect 

 this, you should lay the stress as near the hand as pos- 

 sible, and make the wood undulate from that point ; 



