BASS FISHING. 135 



anything so provoking in my life. You have the 

 devil's luck, and that's the truth.' 3 And some, 

 more touchy and petulant than the rest, move off 

 to more distant grounds, where they escape, at least, 

 the pain of witnessing a success that they cannot 

 share. More than once have I found myself in this 

 envied, but unenviable position. I like my full 

 share, I confess, but not the monopoly of the sport ; 

 and, on one occasion, I remember to have invited 

 alongside, one of my neighbors, who looked parti- 

 cularly chagrined at his comparative want of suc- 

 cess. " Come alongside," said I, u and I will 

 explain this matter to you. You are aware that 

 much depends on the drop. You have no success ; 

 you are only taking the stragglers, as it were, who 

 are traversing the bye-lanes below while I am 

 over the banqueting house ! Now, observe, my 

 anchor is fast to a crag below. I have a buoy to 

 the end of the rope ; at still-tide it rises to the sur- 

 face, when I attach my boat to it, and thus secure 

 my drop. Now, I have taken as many fish as I 

 wish, and am about to cast off my rope receive it 

 in your boat, and you will succeed to my good- 

 fortune." With this slight change of position, came 

 a change of luck ; and I had the satisfaction, while 

 I sailed away from the ground, to see him merrily 

 engaged in the sport. 



