RIVER SNEAK. 211 



apprehend would be, that the bailiffs would eventually 

 sport Marc Antony and run. 



In contradistinction to these illuminati comes your 

 plausible poacher, a sort of river sneak. This man 

 sallies forth with apparent innocence of purpose ; he 

 switches the water with a trout-rod, and ambulates the 

 shore with a small basket at his back, indicative of 

 humble pretensions ; but has a pocket in his jacket that 

 extends the whole breadth of the skirts. He is trout- 

 ing, forsooth ; but ever and anon, as he comes to a 

 salmon-cast, he changes his fly, and has a go at the 

 nobler animal. If he hooks a salmon, he looks on each 

 side with the tail of his eye to guard against a surprise; 

 and if he sees any danger of discovery from the 

 advance of the foeman, he breaks his line, leaves the 

 fly in the fish's mouth, and substitutes a trout one ; — 

 said fish swims away, and does not appear in evidence. 



I once came upon one of these innocents, who had 

 hold of a salmon with his trout-rod in a cast a little 

 above Melrose bridge, called " The Quarry Stream." 

 He did not see me, for I was in the copsewood on the 

 summit of the bank immediately behind him. I could 

 have pounced upon him at once, I and my fisherman. 

 Did I do so ? I tell you, no. He would have broken 

 his line as above, and have lost the fish ; and I wanted 

 a salmon, for it is a delicate animal, and was particu- 

 larly scarce at that time. 



So I desired Charlie to lie down amongst the bushes, 

 and not to stir till the fish was fairly landed, and was 

 in the capacious pocket, which has already been de- 

 scribed. Then I counselled him to give chase, and 



