SALMO-HUCHO FISHING IN BAVAEIA. 297 



a ruddy face ; and he was spinning, what in courtesy 

 might be called a minnow, but in reality was a good- 

 sized trout. It was not the length of his rod, or 

 its weight, which were so astonishing it was the 

 inordinate thickness of its top, the stupendous hook, 

 and the cable which connected the two, which was 

 similar to that used by the ancient "who sat upon 

 a rock and bobbed for whale." There was a good 

 deal of lead* hanging about the line near the swivels, 

 and when the apparatus was pitched into the water, 

 it made a splash which could be heard a long way off, 

 and if it had alighted on the head of any TiticUen it 

 would certainly have hurt him very much. But 

 lest it should be thought that we are poking fun 

 at this gentleman, or affecting to despise his pro- 

 ceedings, we hasten to say that he was a master 

 of his craft, and needed no lessons from any one 

 as to spinning his trout. He was the Oberforster 

 of the Duke of Nassau, the head of the woodmen 

 and keepers, and we got to know him and like 

 him very much. Possibly no one, after reading 

 this paper, will feel inclined to start off for the 

 Bavarian Oberland for the sake of the sport we 

 describe, but it is as well to say here that the river 

 is strictly preserved, and not open to strangers. 

 The Oberforster span his pool without anything 

 appearing, and then G. tried another with his 

 "thunder and lightning." The three men were 

 interested in the performance, but evidently did 



