A MISHAP. L>5* 



If, in drifting along with the wind, you find that the 

 boat travels too fast, get a cord and a stone and throw it 

 over the stern so as to moderate the speed. 



In fishing from the shore, you will often have to wade* 

 If the wind be blowing sharply along the shore you fish, 

 get it at your back and walk cautiously on, a step at a 

 time, casting outwards first, and then in the segment of a 

 circle, the last cast terminating almost on the shore. Then 

 take another step, or perhaps two, and repeat the process, 

 making as little disturbance as you can ; but always look 

 well to your footing, and feel your way, or a big, round, 

 or slippery stone will bring you suddenly to grief. 



If you be a smoker, brother angler, take care (and this 

 will apply equally perhaps to river-fishing) to knock the 

 fire quite out of your pipe before you pocket it, or you 

 may chance to do as I did once when wading along the 

 strand on that prince of lakes, Lough Melvin. I was 

 having great sport with the gillaroos, and fancying my 

 pipe was out, popped it hastily into my pocket without 

 consideration. After a time I smelt an unpleasant smell 

 of burning. At first I thought it but the smoke from 

 something burning on the land, and paid no attention to 

 it. Presently my thigh warned me of a sensation of 

 heat ; I thrust my hand into my pocket it was on fire. 

 I hastily turned out the contents. My pocket was in 

 large holes ; the coat even was singed through, my hand- 

 kerchief destroyed, and, worse then all, the extreme edge 

 of my tackle-book singed smartly. When I came to 

 inspect it, ' dies miserabilisj ten or a dozen beautiful 

 exquisitely fine new casting-lines, of a delicate amber 

 colour, done up in coils of eight or ten inches circum- 

 ference (which I had laid in for my campaign, but three 

 days previously, at Farlow's), were just burnt through- 

 only just in one spot thus reducing the whole of them 

 to irreparable and useless fragments. Oh, the trouble I 



