A DEVICE FOR A JIGGERING FISH. 269 



had not succeeded in landing, owing to our peculiar 

 position. We had hooked our fish whilst bank 

 fishing upon a perpendicular rock, some six or eight 

 feet above the surface of the water. During the 

 greater part of this time the salmon had been active, 

 so much so, that more than once our fine gear was 

 in imminent danger of being severed. After these 

 plunges and wild determined rushes to and fro had 

 subsided, our quarry finally settled, in deep water, 

 near the rock upon which we stood. There an un- 

 pleasant jiggering motion was described by the line. 

 In this instance, the water being comparatively clear, 

 the movements of the fish were plainly discernible, 

 some ten feet or so from its surface he was ener- 

 getically rubbing his snout upon a jutting part of the 

 rock, from right to left, and left to right, without a 

 moment's cessation. We ran paper down the line 

 in the usual way, to no purpose, the exasperating 

 "rub-rub" still continuing. Donald, the keeper, had 

 meanwhile set off to explore for pebbles, but even 

 this chance was denied, returning as he went, empty- 

 handed. As a last desperate venture, our pocket key- 

 ring was fixed on the line (it being split steel), and 

 run down. No sooner was this accomplished than 

 the fish dashed away towards the open. Now for the 

 first time the thought struck us that if the fish was 

 not taken our keys were irrecoverably lost. Regretting 

 our impetuosity, we cautiously gave and took line as 

 occasion required. The presence of the nose ring 

 and jingling appendages, meanwhile kept the fish in 

 action. This, however, speedily told upon him, and 



