190 ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS. 



ture looked fresh, and sound, the brass appeared to 

 be put on correctly, but there was something to be 

 discovered yet of which I was still ignorant, and to the 

 reel I went to solve the problem. In winding up or 

 taking in line I had, through carelessness, permitted 

 one round to lap across the other. In paying away the 

 two had jammed, coming to a full stop. My rod had 

 been broken, my fly stolen, and my casting line was 

 probably performing duty for a pennant to a fish 

 totally disregarding distance or trespass. " There's 

 no use grieving over spilt milk," some one says, and 

 after I had got rid of the fizz, like a bottle of soda- 

 water, I was calm enough, only regretting I had lost 

 the salmon, for, with all fishermen, the fish that gets 

 off is, of course, a very great deal larger than any you 

 have captured. 



To be a perfect fisherman you require more excel- 

 lences than are usually to be found in such a small 

 space as is allotted to man's carcass; you should be 

 patient, forbearing, vigorous, decided and prompt in 

 emergency, with the constitution of a water- spaniel, 

 and the ingenuity of an Arkwright or a Fulton. Being 

 deficient in many, more particularly in the latter 

 requisites, I was compelled to shut up shop bv putting 

 up my rod in its canvas covering, regretting my bad 

 luck, my stupidity, and last, though not least, the 



