14 TO S1RINUGGUR. 



two, and hooked and landed an impudent little brat of 

 2-lb. weight ; then had some little sport with a nice little 

 chap of 5-lb. or so, when, having disturbed the pool, I 

 went lower and fished two or three likely spots, without 

 moving anything. 



So I struggled back over the bothering boulders to my 

 pet pool, where I strove long and ineffectually, and was 

 actually on the point of leaving off, when Whirr, whirr, 

 whirr, whirr went the reel, the rod bent double, the line 

 smoked again, and the still waters of the pool rose in 

 swells, as the sogdollager I had hold of darted violently 

 down the stream. Fifty yards were out in no time, when 

 I butted him strongly, and turned him, only then getting 

 an idea of his weight, and joyfully exclaimed he was a 

 twenty-pounder. The young officer of the 24th was with 

 me ; he and the native attendants were greatly excited. 



I was conscious of having work cut out for me, and 

 intensely eager to secure the prize I knew to be at stake. 

 The struggle was long and stout. At one time the fish 

 turning up stream, made direct for the bank where 24th 

 stood, about forty yards from me. A brawling cascade 

 separated us, and I was over knees in water in another 

 noisy rapid, so did not hear his remarks, but noticed his 

 gesticulations, and judged from them, he was astonished 

 at the monster I had hold of. 



Well, after a rare game of pully-hauly, my scaly enemy 

 took the bottom, and I could not move him. * Oh ! what 

 a weight he must be/ thought I ; ( hold on good tackle ! ' 

 I shook the bait, so as to make his jaws rattle and his 

 teeth ache, when at last he moved with a vengeance, 

 making a violent effort, up and down and all sides, to 

 break away. Then he shewed his massive golden side 

 glorious sight ! I hauled him towards a round hand-net 

 a handy lad held ready in the water no gaff with me 



