52 



THE FLY FISHER'S GUIDE. 



men who have followed this practice from youth 

 upwards, and arrived at extreme old age, without 

 having experienced the slightest inconvenience 

 or ill consequences from the daily immersion of 

 their legs. 



To remain long in one station is reprehensible; 

 and it is absolutely necessary to substitute dry 

 clothing for such as may have become wet by the 

 operations of the day, immediately on arriving at 

 the house of rest or refreshment. With these 

 precautions the angler may, if possessed of a 

 good natural constitution, bid defiance to the 

 effects of the element, which his prejudiced or 

 timid friends would set forth as objections to 

 deter him from the perfect enjoyment of an 

 innocent and favourite amusement. If situation 

 or other circumstances should render it unplea- 

 sant, or not easily practicable to- the wader, every 

 time he hooks a fish to draw it to the shore, he 

 will find that, after played with for some time, 

 by pulling it with an even but somewhat rapid 

 motion, it will be incapable of much action on 



