THE COLONEL S WAGER. 205 



that on any given day he would kill more than we both 

 could produce together. This, as every Irish argument 

 ends in a duel or bet, has terminated, fortunately ^ in the 

 latter : and though the wager be not so deep as Hamlet's 

 " Barbary horses " to " French rapiers, poniards, and 

 their assigns," yet the respective parties appear deeply 

 interested in the result. To-morrow will decide the 

 question, and settle the doubtful point of scientific 

 superiority between the rival artists. 



It strikes me forcibly, that among Irish anglers the 

 doctrine of meum et tuum is but indifferently understood. 

 My kinsman and the commander are constantly lamenting 

 a loss of property, and certainly they do not indulge in 

 these jeremiads without good reason. I never observe 

 the ColonePs huge book forgotten for a few minutes, 

 but it is unmercifully plundered by the host — and if 

 the key of the latter *s fly-drawer can be procured, the 

 commander unlocks it without ceremony, and having 

 explored its arcana ^ adopts liberally such articles as find 

 favour in his sight. The housemaid has been suborned 

 to abstract the Colonel's casting-lines from his dor- 

 mitory ; and, as the host generally hides a favourite 

 fly or two in the lining of his hat, I never pass the hall 

 without finding the commander fumbling about the hat- 

 stand. It was clearly stipulated and understood that 

 the flies with which to-morrow's match should be 

 decided were to be bona fide the handy-work of the 

 respective parties ; yet the Colonel privately informs 

 me that he has despatched a trusty envoy to the priest, 

 to implore that gifted churchman to furnish him, sub 

 sigillo, with a cast or two for the occasion ; and the said 

 envoy has covenanted to be at the commander's window 

 with an answer, ** before a mother's soul is stirring." 



