THE LATE SALMO SALAR, ESQ. 45 



turning round, was going back to my lair, 

 when I felt a sharp, smarting pain, a convul- 

 sive shock shook my frame, and I found myself 

 madly struggling against some great, unknown, 

 invisible power, which controlled my will, and, 

 for a time at least, rendered me helpless, 

 almost hopeless. 



" Willing to realize the worst, and anxious 

 to learn something certain respecting my con- 

 dition, I rushed upwards, and, jumping high 

 in the air, saw two men standing on the 

 bank, with whose movements, with reference 

 to my own position, I had no difficulty in 

 tracing the connexion. The one with a long 

 rod in his hand, the line from which restrained 

 and controlled me, stood motionless; whilst 

 the other, with a horrible hook attached to 

 the end of a stick in his hand, seemed to be 

 aiding and advising him. 



" ' Canny, lad,' I heard him say ; ' canny, 

 noo ; he is but light heukit ; I ken by his 

 jumping. Canny, noo ; he's just a fresh-run 

 grilse, an' his mouth unco saft.' 



" I had heard enough ; and by this time 

 my terror had somewhat abated, and my 

 natural energy returned in aid of the strength 



