124 In Pursuit of the Trout 



there at Easter, and again in August. In 

 the full light of day his wariness knew no 

 bounds ; and as there was a nasty drag, the 

 artificial fly was drowned almost the moment 

 it touched the water. He would not look at 

 nor think of such a base imitation of the olive; 

 indeed, the fastidious monster, dimly seen 

 sometimes by myself who watched him, as 

 through a glass darkly, picked and chose his 

 natural olives. He appeared now and then 

 to take a fly as a mere sauce or appetiser for 

 other and more solid food. It was his sherry- 

 and-bitters before dinner. But once, at about 

 eight o'clock in the evening, I passed the tree 

 on my way home, and found him gorging on 

 natural fly, which was on in large quantities. 

 I waited not an instant, but cast my fly 

 almost amongst the twigs of the fallen tree 

 and let it float over him. He rose, but, owing 

 evidently to the drag, declined. The water 

 being very low, I resolved to wade out into 

 the stream and take up my position immedi- 

 ately below the fish, and on a bed of almost 

 dry gravel. In this manner the drag would 



