WESTERN WATERS 145 



for it. While he is making up his mind I am 

 wading out, for I like to play my fish from 

 above them, and with a fairly long line, and 

 also prefer terra Jirma to slippery pebbles. I 

 am not without hopes that a little gentle per- 

 suasion may prevent him from dashing along 

 the other side and disturbing his " neighbours," 

 and I am not disappointed, for in a few minutes 

 he is safe round the corner, well in hand, 

 taking decent and respectable runs, and I take 

 advantage of his pacific disposition to unscrew 

 the net and substitute the gaff; laying the 

 handle across the left arm ready for action. It 

 sounds awkward, but, with patience and choice 

 of the right moment, I have never experienced 

 the least difficulty in a task which would seem 

 to require a third hand. But the fish takes 

 advantage of his second wind, and the reel 

 whirs and the line sings, as he makes a deter- 

 mined rush for the bottom of the pool, flinging 

 himself out of the water twice in his course, 

 and showing the neat proportions of a hand- 

 some grilse of eight pounds weight, or there- 

 abouts. That rush was his last serious effort, 

 and, as his tail plays slowly on the surface 

 of the pool, I shift the rod to my left hand, 

 and stretch out my right, with the gaff in it, 

 and in another moment I have slackened the 

 line by letting out two or three turns, the rod 

 is on the ground, and the fish is on the bank, 



K 



