FISHING FOR MAHSEER 503 



pleasant, so we went beyond until we came to a level spot 

 some 15 feet square on the banks of the river, which was as 

 clear as crystal. We all set to work and collected branches 

 of trees and various posts to rig up an awning overhead, as 

 the dews are very heavy at night. Close by, but a little 

 lower, we found another level spot, just large enough for a 

 small camp-table and our chairs. We had brought our tackle 

 with us, and as soon as we could get boats we went out. 

 We could see thousands of fish, from a few inches to three 

 feet long. Ommaney had been here before the General and 

 I were new to it. We caught nothing, but the Pipon brought 

 in three 7 Ibs., 4 Ibs., and I Ib. respectively. By dark most 

 of our traps had arrived, but only two servants, the rest 

 had got drunk at Sankar and did not turn up till late next 

 day. Whilst the servants prepared our dinner, we arranged 

 our beds, rigged up the mosquito curtains, and put several 

 bottles of ale and wine into the river to cool ; whilst, after our 

 work was over, we also took headers into the icy cold stream, 

 swam about as hard as we could and then jumped out, and a 

 good rub down made new men of us all. At eight o'clock 

 dinner was ready ; but my servant John had excelled himself 

 we had soup, fish, roasted wild duck, snipe on toast, bread- 

 and-cheese, and washed them down in libations of icy cold 

 Bass' pale ale. We retired to bed soon, and were glad of our 

 quilts, and slept like tops till daylight. The General and I 

 were in the water before the Pipon would wake up, which he 

 did at last, and had tea ready by the time we had finished our 

 ablutions. The place was perfect for bathing; you could 

 take headers off perpendicular rocks into 20 feet of the 

 clearest water conceivable. We each selected a boat ; I took 

 the one nearest me, and I found I had perhaps the best man 

 as boatman in that part of the country. He had been out 

 often with Mr. Hind, our padre, and with others. I christened 

 him "wind-up," as that was the only English he knew, and 

 which he repeated whenever we came to a shallow or I struck 

 a fish. This river is divided into rapids, with deep pools 

 intervening. One portion, which we called the gorge, was not 

 less than 60 feet deep, with perpendicular banks of from 

 200 to 300 feet high, and hills on either side all densely 



