THE " BUTCHER " FLY. 73 



to stone. While standing by I observed more than one 

 salmon attempt to scale the height, but without 

 success. 



After a few minutes spent in this way I descended, 

 and, having again tried my part of the pool, and caught 

 nothing, though I raised more than one good fish, I 

 threw down my rod and turned to watch Alister, who 

 was fishing within a few yards of me, at the lower end 

 of the pool. He had hooked a good fish while I was 

 up at the falls, and was just about to land it as I joined 

 him. A grizzly old keeper or " water-bailie/' who had 

 accompanied us, was rendering assistance with his gaff, 

 and speedily laid the fish gasping on the shingle. 

 Alister now cast his fly at the head of a runnel just as 

 it left the pool, bidding me watch the event, as he had 

 marked a good fish rise a moment before in that spot. 

 The third cast proved successful; and in ten minutes 

 there were a couple of fine fish lying on the shingle, 

 and a third hooked in the same spot, fighting despe- 

 rately for his life. Alister offered his rod to me, which 

 of course I took with pleasure, and after a careful and 

 patient struggle I landed my fish. I then took a cast 

 with Alister's rod, a few yards into the pool, and the 

 " butcher fly," which had already proved itself worthy 

 of its name, still maintained its character, by quickly 

 hooking a fourth fish, which succumbed after a ten 

 minutes' struggle. 



We had now taken our full complement from the 

 Poul Glas, four salmon landed on the same spot, - 

 and it was scarcely likely that any more would be taken, 

 after the disturbance we had already made. I there- 

 fore now returned Alister his rod, and, leaving him to 

 whip the pool a little longer, I took my way down the 

 stream towards the inn, casting my fly occasionally as 



