THE RIVER. 329 



and within a few inches of that ledge of 

 rock which extends into the throw from my 

 side of the river he rose again, and most 

 deliberately took my fly, showing me as he 

 descended the top of a broad dark head, of 

 about the size and colour of a, cricket-ball. 

 I struck, and there was no great doubt of 

 my being in him ; not that he kicked up a 

 very great stir, for, in the first instance, he 

 went quietly to the bottom, and continued 

 for ten minutes working gently round a 

 circle of some thirty or forty yards, all this 

 time closely hugging the bottom, from which, 

 on account of his great weight, I was unable 

 to raise him. He then returned, but still 

 quietly, to the rock from under which I had 

 at first hooked him. I sent Paddy to the 

 rock, desiring him to drop a stone on the 

 fish, who resented the insult by making a rush 

 as quick as lightning, and that so suddenly, 

 that he had nearly jerked the rod out of my 

 hands : his direction was across the stream 

 into the opposite throw of Sally Bush, till 

 the water shoaled at the distance of some- 

 where about seventy yards from me ; he 

 then turned short and regained his own 

 rock, on which I had now taken my stand. 



