PISCATORY DISQUISITIONS. 51 



to more trouble and expense in procuring the most 

 approved flies. He never tied, or attempted to tie one, 

 and he assured me he had many hundred dozens in his 

 possession. To find a new fly was with him sometimes 

 the labour of a day ; and when about to try another 

 water, he would spend hours toiling through his immense 

 collection before he could succeed in discovering the 

 necessary colour and description. I have seen him, 

 with Job-like patience, labouring through endless papers 

 and parcels in search of a paltry insect that I could 

 fabricate in five minutes. 



" His companion, Captain B , ran into an opposite 



extreme. He rarely had a second casting-line, and 

 seldom a second set of flies. Did the day change, 

 or the river fill or lower, he sat down on the bank, ripped 

 wings and dubbings from his hooks, and prepared a 

 new outfit in a twinkling. I never met an angler who 



was so certain of filling a basket as my friend B . 



His system, however, I would totally disapprove of. 

 Without burthening oneself with enough to furnish out 

 a tackle-shop, a small and effective collection is desirable ; 

 and it is absurd to lose a fortunate half-hour tying on 

 the river bank, what could be more conveniently fabri- 

 cated during the tedium of a wet day within doors. 

 An accident may rob the most discreet angler of his 

 flies, and surely it is necessary to have a fresh relay to 

 put up. But though I take a sufficiency along with me, 

 I never leave home without being provided with the 

 materials for constructing new ones. An hour may 

 bring ephemerae on the waters, which you must imitate, 

 or you will cast in vain ; before evening they have 

 vanished and given place to some new variety of the 

 insect world. Thus far, at least, the tier possesses an 



