Salmon Fishing. 1 7 



and the gaff ready for the fatal plunge, how 

 often have I forgotten in the excitement of the 

 moment, that no wood could stand a strain, 

 sharp and severe, beyond a certain angle, and, 

 though I generally secured the prize, it was at a 

 cost by no means pleasant or profitable. Ever 

 since the occurrence of these mishaps, I made 

 up my mind never to use a rod without a hollow 

 butt to hold a spare top, if needed ; nor should 

 I feel at ease now, were I not conscious that I 

 had a duplicate of the weakest joint, ready for 

 use, if required. 



Very foolish indeed does a man look, and 

 very unhappy must he feel, when obliged to 

 retrace his steps for many a mile, as a friend of 

 mine did not long since, who broke his top-joint 

 after about the third or fourth throw, without 

 another at hand to replace it ! In the case in 

 question, several fish were killed in the very 

 water he had forestalled, some of which, no 

 doubt, would have fallen to his share, had not 

 this untoward accident befallen him. 



