no THE SA LMON. 



no mistake this time, the dorsal fin and several 

 inches of the back of a monstrous fish were plainly 

 visible above the surface of the dark water. My 

 heart was in my mouth, but I had recourse to the 

 old formula, which ought to be present to every 

 salmon-fisher's mind one, he comes up! two, he 

 goes down! three, I strike! I did so, perhaps more 

 forcibly than was altogether safe or necessary : it 

 is curious how little force, if properly applied, is 

 required to fix the hook. I struck with effect ; 

 and in another second I was dashing along the 

 rough, flooded, dangerous bank at the speed 

 of a foxchase after my destined prey. No 

 time for thought or pause no chance of picking 

 footsteps or choosing my course. The stream was 

 running ten miles an hour, and the fish appeared 

 to resign himself entirely to it ; sometimes rolling 

 over, sometimes sailing almost on the surface, 

 sometimes diving to the depths below, he carried 

 on directly towards the sea, from whence no doubt 

 he had travelled that very morning ; fortunately, 

 my line at the first cast was not of any great length, 

 and the fifty yards in reserve constituted a handi- 

 cap in the unequal race ; but every nerve was 

 strained to the utmost to prevent a breakage, 

 which wjDuld inevitably have occurred had I failed 

 for a moment in wind or speed. A ditch, some 



