A DAY WITH THE GRILSE 169 



runs strong at the neck, but the pool imme- 

 diately after broadens into a round hole, very 

 deep for the most part, out of which two streams 

 run round a sort of gravelly island. This double 

 exit causes a kind of eddy and backwater, and 

 except at the very neck, it is impossible to keep 

 the line straight and make the fly hang naturally. 

 However, I again deposit my baggage, and at 

 the second cast a heavy boil breaks the sur- 

 face of the water, the line tightens and the reel 

 whirs. Hurrah ! I am into my first fish. 



I shout to Alfred, who is slowly making his 

 way up the bank, slightly bored at the proceed- 

 ings so far ; and the whole scene changes in an 

 instant. Up he runs, with excitement and delight 

 depicted on his face, just as the salmon makes a 

 furious rush up stream, and then a jump which 

 nearly lands him on the opposite bank. Then 

 comes a lull while the fish sulks for a minute in 

 the deep water in the centre of the pool, and I 

 can assure my little attendant, who is nervously 

 and excitedly screwing the landing-net off and 

 the gaff on, that he has plenty of time. He has 

 been out with me before ; but it was only yester- 

 day that he was first allowed to use the gaff, and 

 very well he did it, landing a seven-pound fish 

 at the first attempt. Off goes the salmon again, 

 and after another two turns of the reel, shows 

 himself on the surface a good fish for this water. 

 I generally minimise the size of my fish, but I 



