MONSTRUM HORRENDUM. 195 



the greatest astonishment at the swiftness and result 

 of the race, and at the power of the fish, who had been 

 able to distress two full-grown men so completely. 

 He owned he was much excited, but thought fishing 

 for salmon would be too turbulent an amusement for 

 him ; though perhaps he might have kept up with a 

 good pony, had the ground been passable by such a 

 beast. Poussin, Virgil, the Apennines, all were for- 

 gotten ; and he began to enter warmly into the spirit 

 of the present, and was curious to know by what par- 

 ticular tactics one can contrive to get the better of 

 such a large furious monster, as he expressed it, with 

 such apparently inade quate means, when a small sea 

 trout broke him with all the ease imaginable. As I 

 now reckoned upon his attention, I told him, as fol- 

 lows — how to manage a large salmon, and how a large 

 salmon may manage us : — 



" When you get hold of a monstrwm horrendum, 

 ingens of a fish, say of some five and forty pounds, 

 you must anticipate a very long and severe battle. 

 If, therefore, you have a disposable Gilly with you, 

 despatch him instantly for some skilful fisherman, as 

 well to assist you when you are exhausted with 

 fatigue, as to bring your dinner and supper ; not for- 

 getting a dark lantern, that you may not be beaten 

 by the shades of night, — a circumstance by no means 

 improbable. At the first onset you will probably be 

 obliged to keep your arms and rod aloft, in order 

 to steer clear of the rocks. This action, with a 

 heavy rod and large fish on your line, is very dis- 

 tressing, if continued even for a short time ; and it 

 will be necessary to repeat it often, if the channel is 



