THE DEVERON 219 



he has so often dreamed is apt to be somewhat 

 disappointed. Casting rapidly to right and left 

 into the middle of the * boil ' he finds too often 

 that his best imitation is left severely alone ; the 

 genuine article is in too great abundance, and 

 eventually he learns that it is before and after 

 the exuberance of the rise that he will have his 

 chief success, and that when the natural insect 

 is thickest on the water, some fly quite unlike it 

 is most likely to prove acceptable ; just as with 

 ourselves, * toujours perdrix ' will sometimes 

 pall. 



Looking upwards from the bridge we see a 

 stretch a quarter mile in length of water perfect 

 to the fisherman's eye ; pools large and small 

 diversified by streams broken and vexed by 

 stones and boulders. We recall whole days 

 spent on this one portion, with the result that 

 the pressure of the basket strap on shoulder 

 hinted that enough had been done for sport and 

 pleasure ; for, be it noted, for the full enjoyment 

 of one's river one must be alone. 



A little way above the bridge a huge boulder 

 stands half in the water which surges round and 

 under its base. Standing just above it one day, 

 a long cast towards the opposite side happened 

 to hook an inconsiderable troutlet which was 

 quickly drawn, glancing and splashing, across 



