54 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER. 



against the force of the current, and our arms soon 

 began to ache rather unpleasantly ; and, as we tried 

 patiently for some time without success, we began to 

 fear that either we had misunderstood Donald, or that 

 he had been making a wrong use of English in his 

 descriptions of the sport to be expected. But just as 

 Walter had begun to hint his suspicions to this effect, 

 he was agreeably surprised by a jerk at his rod, and 

 he quickly pulled into the boat a very lively fish, about 

 a foot long, which Donald pronounced " a cuddy." At 

 the same instant I felt one on my line, and, before I 

 could get him into the boat, a second had hooked 

 himself. For a quarter of an hour or more we were 

 both occupied in constantly pulling these little fellows 

 wriggling into the boat, frequently two at a time. 

 At first we found it amusing, but the interest subsided 

 as they became so numerous; and, when we had 

 caught nearly two score between us, Walter handed 

 his rod over to Angus, and himself took ail oar. I was 

 about to follow his example, and exchange occupations 

 with Donald, when a most vehement tug at my rod, 

 which had nearly carried it bodily away, once more 

 aroused my energies. Whether it were a whale or a 

 porpoise, or what, I could not tell ; but he was hooked 

 securely, and fought most savagely. It was like having 

 a salmon on one's hook, with no winch or line to let 

 out ; and had not the tackle been very good indeed, it 

 must of necessity have given way. Rowing was now 

 suspended, and Walter rose from his oar to watch 

 the progress of the contest. After diving, plunging, 

 pulling obstinately, and trying every device for nearly 

 ten minutes, my fish gradually gave in, suffered 

 himself to be drawn alongside, and Donald lifted him 

 exultingly into the boat. He proved to be what is 

 here called " a lithe," though what his proper name 



