104 AUTUMNS ON THE SPEY. 



where I had seen a large fish rise several times. 

 At the second cast I had him, and away he went 

 directly towards the rapid, springing repeatedly 

 out of the water a twenty-pounder at least then 

 suddenly turning hack he bolted across to the 

 opposite side, still fortunately keeping away from 

 me. All this time I had " held on like grim 

 death," showing him the butt of the rod, but his 

 violent plunges and strenuous efforts to descend 

 the stream severely tried the strength of the upper 

 joints ; prudence, therefore, induced me to yield 

 partly to his wishes, and while grudgingly giving 

 him line, to keep him at the same time as near 

 the surface as possible. He was still, as I 

 thought, sufficiently far from the bank to escape 

 the branches underneath, when, with a tremen- 

 dous rush, down he went to the bottom. Sulking, 

 thought I, as the line became fixed, and no 

 response followed the movement of my wrist 

 in attempting to rouse him to renewed activity. 

 Then, shortening the line as much as possible, 

 and exerting a strong upward pressure trying, in 

 fact, to lift him perpendicularly, usually a success- 

 ful expedient on similar occasions I directed my 

 attendant gillie it was before I had enlisted 

 Simon to pelt him with stones thrown from the 

 near side, and within a foot or two of the spot 



