WESTERN WATERS 139 



dogs, and ponies ; and covert-shooting, and even 

 partridge-shooting under modern conditions, need 

 assistants and companions to be successfully 

 earned out. It is only in France, if anywhere, 

 that 



" Shouldering your rifle, and winding your horn, 

 You chase the pink partridge that chirps in the com." 



But the fishing to which I am now looking 

 forward may be, and will be, done by myself 

 only ; and it is this which makes me love the 

 little Add more than more famous and romantic 

 rivers where fish run much larger, but where 

 gillies, and probably boats as well, are absolutely 

 necessary. I dislike the sensation of being 

 watched ; I hate well-meant advice as to flies 

 and places ; and I abhor the ejaculation " There 

 he is ! " or words to a like effect, which no gillie 

 can restrain when a fish rises, and which pro- 

 duce the involuntary and premature motion of 

 the wrist or arm which has saved the life of 

 many a gallant salmon and trout. 



Next morning the sky is clear, and half a 

 gale of wind is blowing. There are a few 

 ominous-looking clouds on the hills, which 

 indicate that there will be " some showers " in 

 the course of the day, which may be inter- 

 preted to mean heavy plumps of rain, lasting 

 about three-quarters of an hour each, which 

 defy an umbrella or an ordinary overcoat, and 



