NORWAY IN 1865 125 



My three days were over, but my sport was not 

 altogether at an end. There was still a wide stretch 

 of water at the mouth of the river, I think tidal, 

 where all were free to fish. It was no longer worth 

 while to keep my fisherman, who was dismissed glad- 

 dened with an ample guerdon ; but Gurney and I 

 used to go daily to this spot, and harl the bread 

 stream, rowing across and across, making up for want 

 of skill by energy and perseverance. What fish we 

 caught were entirely our own, as we were boatmen, 

 fishermen, and gaffers ; and we really enjoyed very 

 good sport, especially with sea-trout, which were 

 beginning to run up, and to rise freely. No doubt we 

 should have done even better with them had we not 

 stuck to our big flies in the hope of salmon, of which 

 we got very few ; but I remember that on one morning, 

 my best, I got to my own rod six sea-trout of the 

 average weight of six and three-quarter pounds, the 

 largest being rather over nine pounds, and the smallest 

 four. What sport such fellows would have given had 

 I fished for them, as I do in the light of my present 

 knowledge, with small hooks, fine tackle, and an 

 ordinary trout, rod and reel, with plenty of stout 

 backing in case your fish wants to run a hundred 

 yards or more at a time. I now look upon it as murder 

 to sacrifice the sport these game fish can and do afford 

 by dragging them out with tackle which gives them 

 little or no chance of resistance. 



Indoor amusements were not much wanted. We 

 played a good many games of picquet during the 

 midday hours, and I suppose that in skill or want 

 of skill, at the game we were about equally matched, 

 as only a few shillings changed hands at the close 



