i8o DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



thus the mystery was solved the whole was 

 executed in a running flourish with admirable 

 facility. I cannot conscientiously aver that any one 

 of the leaves of the sketch books of these intelligent 

 young ladies contained what might be termed a 

 drawing, but still there was something about them 

 that might put a person of imagination very much 

 in mind of drawings." 



Thus, having beguiled the attention of Mr. Tin- 

 tern (for that was the stranger's name) from the 

 summits in which he had been soaring, I found him 

 quite ready to receive an impression of a more 

 humble kind, and he attended me in my walk, 

 nothing loth. I was very much gratified with his 

 company ; for, besides his talent and simplicity of 

 character, there was such an appearance of bene- 

 volent feeling in much of his conversation, which I 

 have not thought it necessary to mention, that no 

 one could avoid being taken with him. 



I commenced operations at the Carry-wheel, which 

 is nearly at the head of the Pavilion-water, and had 

 not made four casts before I hooked a fish. He was 

 evidently diminutive ; but, dwarf as he was, he 

 thought a good deal of himself, and was prodigal of 

 the little strength which nature had given him. I 

 thought him conceited, and so hauled him on shore 

 at once without any ceremony. He proved to be a 

 river trout of four pounds a silly-looking creature 

 enough. 



Well, I went forward and caught a few gilses and 

 salmon in the upper Pavilion-water, not worth men- 

 tioning, except as the sport had the effect of rousing 



