1 74 Salmon Fishing. 



saw a white gleam for an instant. Unfortu- 

 nately the best spot for the fly to light on, 

 was under the branches of an alder, which I 

 avoided well-enough the first throw. But to my 

 disgust when I made a second attempt, the wind, 

 then very gusty, sent the fly into the midst 

 of the troublesome branches. "Good bye to my 

 chance of a fish there," said I ; as I pulled hard 

 to disentangle the fly without avail. Being 

 an old favourite, I determined to cross the river, 

 which I knew I could do some distance down, 

 and recover it. 



When I came to the tree, I removed the bag 

 from my shoulders, and threw it down on the 

 bank. It was sometime before I could reach the 

 bough, in which the fly was fixed ; and perhaps 

 ten minutes at least did it take, ere I began 

 to descend. Just as I turned round to take 

 the first step downward, and looked below, what 

 should I see, but a large sheep-dog making off 

 very deliberately with the bag in his mouth ! 

 I knew that it contained, not only my luncheon, 



