HVILESTED. THE UPPER WATER 147 



when I should fish, and to look with ill-veiled con- 

 tempt at any flies in my box of which he had no 

 previous experience. However, he soon learnt who 

 was master, and I found him a most efficient and zealous 

 boatman and guide, although not a first-rate gaffer. 

 He was possessed of the strange and unaccountable 

 power of water-finding. I have seen the divining- 

 rod twist almost out of his hand as he passed over a 

 subterranean stream. Many, I know, scoff at this 

 phenomenon, and attribute the movements of the twig 

 to imposture, but I myself cannot doubt that there 

 is some strange natural force which compels the 

 motions of the hazel fork in certain hands. Although 

 rather short-sighted, he was extraordinarily clever at 

 seeing fish in the pools. 



After a cup of coffee I was glad to turn in for a 

 little, although it was already broad daylight. The 

 journey had been long and tiring, and I had riot 

 been able to get much sleep in the cabin of the little 

 steamer which brought our party down the fjord. 

 My son was not so pusillanimous. He was hard at 

 work unstrapping the box of rods, and getting out 

 his reel and tackle long before I had finished my 

 coffee, and was off up stream for Stor pool in a few 

 minutes. His energy was rewarded, for he returned 

 when we were at breakfast, soon after eleven, with a 

 nice silvery fish of about twelve pounds, reporting 

 that the water was in very good order, and that 

 he had risen other two fish. After this encouraging 

 example it was not very long before I too was ready 

 for the fray, ordered the pony to be harnessed while 

 I put my rod together, and soon found myself near 

 the top of the water making my first cast. 



