138 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



sagacity and wisdom that I should in vain attempt 

 to describe, said, 



" Do you see any thing green in my eyes, sir ? ' 



It was evident such a person was not born to be 

 instructed, but simply to be admired. My friend, 

 therefore, left his rod upon the bank, and walked 

 after him, cigar in mouth, to get some insight into his 

 tactics. Arrived at a better part of the pool, he 

 hooked a fish ; and here it was curious to see the 

 difference of opinion between a Cockney and one 

 who had been bred to the sport. The Cockney was 

 of a yielding disposition, and judged it advisable to 

 let the fish have his own way ; the result of which 

 was, that he ran out an exorbitant length of line, 

 and was going to a sort of whirlpool amongst the 

 rocks. 



' Hold him in, hold him in ; if he gets to that 

 eddy, you are done." 



" Fine fish, sir, fine fish ; fast hooked, sir. Do 

 you see any thing green in my eyes ? I have an 

 opinion of my own, sir." 



" So has the fish. And now it is all over with 

 you ; for if you had nothing but a dried herring at 

 the end of your line, you would never get it out of 

 that mess. I hope you have another casting line, 

 because you will never see that again." 



" Fine fish, sir ; fine rod, sir ; fine line, sir ; fast 

 hooked, sir fast hooked. Do you see any thing 

 green *-' 



He was stopped short in the sentence by an alarm- 

 ing rush of the salmon, who shot forward up the 

 stream, and took out the whole of the line of the 



