DOWN IN THE DEEP VALLEYS BY THE STREAMS 69 



outlined against the sparkle of a broad pool. He steals 

 forward, and, suddenly swinging the net round his head, 

 shoots it out with a whirling motion which spreads its 

 folds to their full extent, and it drops on the water, 

 enclosing a whole shoal of little fishes. To choose a good- 

 sized chilwa, 6 inches long with silvery shiny sides, and 

 attach it to the flight of three double hooks, is the work 

 of a few moments, when the angler, full of eager anticipa- 

 tion, is ready to seize the moment of early day when the 

 fish may be feeding. He cannot get his line out quickly 

 enough, his excitement is so great ; but at last it swings 

 clear across the swirling water at the head of a deep and 

 dark green pool. The shining boulders, which appear 

 with great backs, and create a rapid eddy round their 

 polished sides, must surely be the lurking-places of huge 

 mahseer. The bait spins nicely, just like a fish which has 

 met with an accident and struggles over, showing its 

 white, glistening belly. The hand on the rod trembles 

 with anxiety to strike at the right moment when the fish 

 makes his rush, pursuing the bait across the current and 

 taking it well down at the last spin. Alas ! the pro- 

 gramme does not come off. The line is pulled back 

 through the large fixed rings and again swung out with 

 a longer slack right across the stream, and drawn up 

 cunningly with jerking motion to resemble the natural 

 play of a hunted chilwa, never resting long enough for 

 the fish to see the transparent gut or the swivels on it, but 

 not hauled frantically through the limpid flood. Surely 

 a big fish stirred that time, and came a good way after the 

 bait, as a curl on the surface caused by a great tail, like 

 the 6-inch blade of an oar, testifies. He had a good look 

 at it, but didn't quite like it ; he will not come again. 

 Steadily casting and playing the chilwa over every portion 

 of the pool, now balancing one's self on a convenient 



