20 AUTUMNS ON THE SPEY. 



obedience if it could have been continued long 

 enough, but we were now quickly approaching 

 the lower rapid, and, as the force of the current 

 gradually increased, the partially subdued fish 

 resigned himself totally to its influence, the line 

 ran out faster and faster, and my hope now was 

 that by exercising as much gentle restraint as 

 was possible under the circumstances, I might 

 check his downward career sufficiently to enable 

 Simon who was already up to his knees in the 

 middle of the shallow to gaff him as he was pass- 

 ing. Down went the fish at a tremendous pace, 

 floundering and wriggling over the stones like a 

 gigantic eel, with his dorsal fin out of water. "Now, 

 Simon, you have him ! " I cried, as I saw the boy 

 make a lunge with the clip ; but the whizzing line 

 told me too truly that the stroke had been unsuc- 

 cessful, and the pace was too great to admit of its 

 being repeated ; so rushing along the bank and 

 winding up whenever I had a chance, closely 

 followed by Simon, I felt at that moment, as 

 certain of ultimate success as a salmon-fisher can 

 feel under any circumstances, for I knew that the 

 hook, although a small one, must have a fail- 

 hold, and the single gut had already stood a 

 severe test. The tail of the rapid was now 

 within sight, and I anticipated no difficulty in 



