Salmon Fishing. 201 



needs try to come the otter-dodge over 'em. 

 A ghastly smile, and a grunt, was the only 

 reply I could afford. 



Good reader, did you ever suffer from a 

 severe attack of rheumatism ? Well did I 

 experience what it is on the night following 

 my immersion. Scarcely one wink of steady 

 sleep could I get, and when I did just dose a 

 bit, I began struggling again in water deeper 

 and colder ^ven than before, with the delight- 

 ful sensation besides that some monster-salmon 

 had fast hold of my knee, and was paying 

 me off for worrying his fraternity so persist- 

 ently year after year. 



My first attack of rheumatism left me after 

 a three months' affection for my right knee, 

 as I thought, finally. But no ! In the sub- 

 sequent autumn I was in close pursuit of a 

 cormorant gun-in-hand ; and thinking of nothing 

 but the slaughter of the voracious plunderer, 

 I jumped from a high fence on the bank next 



the river, which gave way immediately, and I 

 o 



