304 AMATEUR TACKLE MAKING, ETC. 



The particular predicament to which our mind 

 recurs, however, partook much more of the tragic 

 element. A native nondescript craft had capsized 

 in shooting a sharp rapid, distributing rods, gaffs, 

 lines, and the whole paraphernalia of oddments 

 necessary to the equipment of fishermen on a walking 

 tour in isolated regions, far and away ; necessitating 

 a new departure in piscatory operations, viz., fishing 

 for tackle. The boil of the foam-beaten and falling 

 waters obscured the whereabouts of the varied 

 appliances dispersed through the mishap. The 

 movements of two forming the trio (the third 

 person of which was a native piece of animated 

 nature, to whose stock of stupidity we owed the 

 ducking and disaster) were greatly hampered by 

 the water-tight fish bags which, filled with the 

 gushing liquid, stood from the back like eastern 

 leather bottles. Thus laden, after gathering whatever 

 was visible in the shape of tackle, we struck out for 

 terra firma, which, safely attained, our first act 'was 

 to disburden ourselves of the heavy fish receptacles ; 

 our next, at the suggestion of the Professor, to probe 

 a hole in their bottoms, to prohibit a possible 

 repetition of their water-bagging proclivities, thus 

 adopting the quaint Highland custom of providing 

 ample exit for the liquid element in the shape of 

 gimlet holes in the soles of boating and shooting 

 boots. On our comparing notes, it was found that 

 rods and their immediate accessories in the shape 

 of lines, winches, and gaffs, had been secured almost 

 without an exception, but the fly books were gone. 



