176 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



groves and solitude storms tempests and alpine 

 ridges." Then he grew somewhat classical, and 

 began to recite from Virgil 



" Tot congesta manu prseruptis oppida saxis, 

 Fluminaque antiques subterlabentia muros." 



At this I walked faster and faster, till I got totally 

 out of hearing. Not through dislike of the subject 

 did I make my escape, for it was one after my own 

 heart ; but my rod was in my hand, and " hoc age " 

 has always been my maxim. Besides the day began 

 to alter, and a fine fresh breeze arose, which came 

 up the river ; clouds appeared over the horizon, 

 which kept gathering, and brought on slight showers 

 and passing shadows, with occasional bursts of sun- 

 shine that glittered on the curl of the water. Now, 

 as far as my experience goes, this is the best sort of 

 weather for sport. The prejudice, notwithstanding, 

 I believe, runs in favour of a grey day ; but such a 

 one has often deluded my expectations : at which 

 time I have found the fish dull and sulky, when I 

 was in hopes they would be up and stirring. It is 

 not meet that they should study Zimmermann. 



It was now the month of September, and I was 

 expecting to catch some of the grey scull that come 

 forward at that season. These fish are of a goodly 

 shape ; but though fresh from the sea are not quite 

 so glossy in their scales, or so rich in flavour, as your 

 brown-backed salmon that comes up early in the 

 spring. They are altogether of a greyer colour than 

 that beautiful fish, and derive their name fr^om that 

 circumstance. 



