80 THE CONTENTS OF OUR CEEEL. 



had not only me but the force of the current to con- 

 tend with, a coalition which soon proved too much 

 for him. He weighed, according to Murdoch's calcu- 

 lation, about seven pounds ; and there were several 

 sea-lice still upon him, thus proving that he was just 

 fresh from the sea. I caught, in the course of the next 

 three hours, four more salmon of about the same 

 weight, and most of them still carrying sea -lice ; one 

 was wounded in the shoulder, having evidently had a 

 narrow escape with his life from some seal. I was now 

 joined by Alister, in a bad humour for having, like 

 myself, missed so many fish ; however, he had no 

 great cause of complaint, being accompanied by Hector 

 bearing six very nice salmon, none weighing less than 

 seven pounds. And now, having so many miles be- 

 tween us and our head-quarters, we packed up our 

 traps, and, the little Highlander once more yoked to 

 the dogcart, we started for home, highly delighted with 

 our success. In about seven hours, putting the sepa- 

 rate times together, we had taken in all twenty-two 

 fish, nineteen salmon and three sea-trout. I doubt 

 if I shall ever enjoy better sport, or be more gratified 

 altogether. Had we been able to fish the whole of the 

 two days, we should in all probability have taken not 

 far short of a score each ; but we had done sufficiently 

 well to satisfy the most fastidious and ardent votary of 

 the angle. 



