180 ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS. 



will not attempt to describe, a gratification of a long- 

 ing often felt, but never expected to be realised. Fancy, 

 brother fishermen, having salmon as abundant as trout 

 in a good trout stream ! In ten casts I had three rises, 

 out of which I had hooked and killed two fish ; and 

 my friend across the water had also been busy 

 possibly five salmon taken out of one reach, and that 

 within an hour and a half ! Ye lords and com- 

 moners, who pay enormous rentals for salmon rivers, 

 can you, with all the paraphernalia that a London 

 fishing-tackle establishment can supply, with all the 

 attendance and accessories that wealth can purchase, 

 show a finer record ? Truly I doubt if it is possible. 

 Again I commenced at the head of the pool, and slowly 

 progressed downwards ; one fish I stirred, but on a 

 second time casting over him, he refused to put in an 

 appearance. Step after step I descended, and when not 

 more than ten yards below where I had hooked my first 

 fish, I struck another ; but, alas ! the hook did not hold ; 

 a few spasmodic struggles, and he was free. That I 

 was too slow in striking I attribute as the cause ; 

 for at the moment I had observed a mink standing 

 on a stone watching my proceedings with curious 

 eye no doubt wondering what kind of creature his 

 optics, possibly for the first time, rested on. Of one 

 thing I am certain you cannot be too quick in 



