236 Salmon Fishing. 



rushing water, I found I had hold of him firm 

 enough. 



For a minute or two during the first bursts 

 of the fish, to free himself from durance vile, I 

 saw nothing of Peter. Just as I had shortened 

 the line, and the fish flung himself into the air 

 at full length : " He's thirty pound, if he's an 

 ounce/' he called out in a loud voice not far 

 from where I was standing. "Quietly Peter, 

 quietly ; say half the weight, and you will be 

 nearer the mark." 



Little did I suspect, as these words fell from 

 my mouth, the desperate struggle that awaited 

 me with this fish ! 



Below for some hundreds of yards was the 

 river coursing along, swifter than a mill-race, 

 and over and between rugged rocks, and big, 

 round boulders, that scattered the foam thick 

 and white as snow-flakes in the air. To keep 

 the fish somewhat in hand, and within the limits 

 of the upper- water, was the only plan, if 

 possible, to adopt. At one time I thought I 



