

AND HOW I HAVE CAUGHT MY FISH 115 



one tugging ! Now, when I have landed this 

 fish I will tell you a story that has happened in 

 my lifetime, and which I know to be true." 



At this particular moment we were rounding 

 a rock almost covered with sea-fowl which stood 

 their ground until we had almost passed them 

 when, as if in premeditated concert, the gulls rose 

 with a scream, and their black friends, the cor- 

 morants, dived away to the rear. It turned out 

 that the tugging was caused by one of the diving 

 cormorants which had become entangled in my 

 line. We pinioned its wings with a view to 

 keeping it, but ultimately gave it liberty. 



This incident was not allowed to free me from 

 my promise, so in response to, " It's yerself, sorr, 

 that'll be commencing the thrue story," I told 

 them the following : 



" Mary C was, so it was said by many, 

 ill-wished by a witch. Be that so or not, she 

 slipped one day from her seat in school and hurt 

 her hip so much that her leg was useless. The 

 local doctor failing to do her any good other 

 doctors were called in, and they also failed. No 

 one could be found to help. Many gave advice 

 whose remedies were vainly tried. Mrs. H , 

 the wife of a sea-captain, and aunt of the little 

 maid, who was quite a strong-minded woman and 

 had pooh-poohed witches and wizards when others 

 spoke of them, dreamed that Jimmy Thomas, 

 the wizard, could cure her niece. When she woke 



I 2 



