A DAY UP THE RIVER. 113 



cannot happen to you on more than three 

 days in your life, I say that hook deceives, 

 though it tells the truth : but I do not think 

 any book would have described its heroes 

 catching fish on such a day as this." 



" What is the matter with the day ?" said 

 the Scholar. " I see nothing wrong with the 

 day, except that it is hot." 



" Well, the heat is unusual," said the Cap- 

 tain, " and no unusual state of the atmo- 

 sphere is favourable to fishing. But look 

 here," he continued, rising, and drawing the 

 Scholar to the open window, which com- 

 manded several reaches of the smooth still 

 river above the falls ; " look at that glare 

 of sunshine ; a bright sun, you know, is 

 never very favourable to fishermen, though 

 salmon will rise in it sometimes : but do you 

 see nothing very unusual in that glare?" 



" Yes," said the Scholar, " over the whole 

 face of the country there is a white, sickly 

 cast, with a haze of mist about it." 



" Exactly so," said the Captain ; " and 

 that haze is a yellowish white, and not blue. 

 And look at the sun's reflexion in the water; 

 it seems larger than common, and blurred 

 and indistinct : it is so dazzling, besides, 



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