A COMFORTABLE EXPEDIENT. 197 



in the north, to take a cast in some of the pools above 

 Elchies Water. He had no great choice of tackle, as 

 may be conceived ; nothing, in fact, but what was use- 

 ful, and scant supply of that. 



" Duncan tried one or two pools without success, till 

 he arrived at a very deep and rapid stream, facetiously 

 termed 'the Mountebank:' here he paused, as if medi- 

 tating whether he should throw his line or not. ' She 

 is very big,' said he to himself, ' but I'll try her ; if I 

 grip him he'll be worth the hauding.' He then fished 

 it, a step and a throw, about half way down, when a 

 heavy splash proclaimed that he had raised him, though 

 he missed the fly. Going back a few paces, he came 

 over him again, and hooked him. The first tug verified 

 to Duncan his prognostication, that if he was there ' he 

 would be worth the hauding ; ' but his tackle had thirty 

 plies of hair next the fly, and he held fast, nothing- 

 daunted. Give and take went on with dubious ad- 

 vantage, the fish occasionally sulking. The thing at 

 length became serious ; and, after a succession of the 

 same tactics. Duncan found himself at the Boat of 

 Aberlour, seven hours after he had hooked his fish, the 

 said fish fast under a stone, and himself completely 

 tired. He had some thoughts of breaking his tackle 

 and giving the thing up ; but he finally hit upon an 

 expedient to rest himself, and at the same time to guard 

 against the surprise and consequence of a sudden move- 

 ment of the fish. 



" He laid himself down comfortably on the banks, the 

 butt end of his rod in front ; and most ingeniously drew 

 out part of his line, which he held in his teeth. ' If 

 13 



