"The Anglers Equipment" 181 



"I once landed three half-pound trout 

 (on the Cumberland Eden), one on each 

 fly ; and this when I dared not take a step, 

 so fearfully slippery was the wading, and 

 so strong the current. Yet I basketed all 

 three, without moving an inch from the 

 spot, to the delight of the keeper, who 

 watched me the whole time, and waved his 

 hat to cheer me, as he knew that I could 

 hear nothing, wading in that turmoil of 

 rushing water. And when I had all three 

 safely in the creel, it was a veritable triumph 

 of my system, for I was able to kill each 

 trout (and basket it) quite easily and with 

 certainty, and was (without a minute's 

 delay) fishing again as if nothing had 

 happened. Yet such was the wading, that 

 I had to use a spike on my landing-net 

 handle, and make quite sure of each foot 

 being firmly planted, ere I dared to lift the 

 other. 



" I was not sorry to leave that place and 

 go to a safer but not till I had fished it 

 thoroughly. 



"It looks rather complicated on paper. 

 In reality it is simplicity itself, and so in- 

 expensive, that the poorest angler can rig 

 his creel up with my rings and straps ; in 

 fact, the fishing-tackle shops look with but 



