118 DISORDERED TACKLE. 



the act of the Salmo Salar; and as my line was short, I 

 was, as I before recommended to others, in no hurry to 

 strike ; but fix him I did in due season. He no sooner 

 felt the hook than he began to rebel ; and executed some 

 very heavy runs, which so disconcerted the machinery of 

 my multiplier as almost to dislocate the wheels. The 

 line gave out with starts and hitches, so that I was obliged 

 to assist it with my hands. To wind up it resolutely 

 refused ; so that I was compelled to gather in the line in 

 large festoons when it was necessary to shorten it, and 

 again to give these out as best I could when the fish 

 made a run. Add to this embarrassment that the ground 

 was distressing, there being alder bushes in my rear, 

 which made it impossible for me to retreat and advance 

 by land, by which means I could have humoured the 

 fancies of the fish, so as to obviate in some degree the 

 necessity of giving out and shortening the line. So I 

 had no power whatever over the salmon, which was 

 evidently a very large one. 



In the course of an hour I made no impression upon 

 him at all, my whole aim being to avoid a break. I 

 never engaged with a more subtle animal. Sometimes 

 he would make the tour of all the neighbouring stones, 

 where he endeavoured, no doubt, to rub the hook out of 

 his mouth ; then he would take a long rest, as if he 

 cared nothing about it. From the cause I have men- 

 tioned my tackle was always in disorder, which kept 

 me in great apprehension. Thus the matter went on for 

 nearly two hours more, still with a very dubious result. 

 At length a stone being thrown in by my attendant at 

 a spot where I could follow along the bank, he put his 



