CHAP, vi.] FLY-FISHING. 61 



hooked, a salmon is only to be held by a happy mixture of the 

 suaviter in modo and fortiter in re, which keeps the line at a 

 gentle but firm stretch, from which he cannot escape by dint 

 of straightforward pulling to which the skilful fisher must 

 gradually yield, to prevent too much strain on his slight line. 

 Nor, on the other hand, ought the fish to be allowed, by the 

 angler slackening the line, to get a sudden jerk at it, by means 

 of a fresh rush, as few lines or hooks can stand this. In fishing 

 for sea-trout, I always kill the largest fish, and the greatest 

 number, by using small flies, though certainly too small hooks 

 are apt to lead to disappointment, by not taking sufficient hold of 

 this tender-skinned fish. As all rivers require different flies for 

 sea-trout, no general rule can be given, but I never find myself 

 unable to catch trout, if there are any in the water, and I use 

 either a small palmer, red, black, or white, and if these do not 

 succeed, I try a small fly with black or blue body, a turn or two 

 of silver twist, no hackle round the body, but a little black 

 hackle immediately under the wings, which latter consist of 

 lark's or hen blackbird's feather, or that of some other bird of a 

 similar pale grey colour. I have often been amused by being 

 told gravely by some fishing-tackle maker in a country-town, 

 when showing him one of these simple flies. " Why, sir, that 

 fly may do now and then, but it is not fit for this river, and I am 

 afraid, sir, you will catch nothing with it." His own stock of 

 flies, which he wants to sell, being all of one kind probably, and 

 which he has managed to convince himself and others are the 

 only sort the fish in the neighbouring stream will rise at. I 

 remember one day on the Findhorn when the fish would not 

 rise at a fly, although they were leaping in all directions. I put 

 on a small white fly and filled my basket, to the astonishment of 

 two or three habitues of the river, who could catch nothing. 

 Having watched me some time, and not being able to make out 

 why I had such good sport, they begged to look at my fly. They 

 scarcely believed their own eyes when I showed them my little 

 white moth, which the sea-trout were rising at so greedily ; it 

 being so unlike the flies which from habit and prejudice they had 

 been always accustomed to use. 



I was much interested one day in May, in watching the thou- 

 sands of small eels which were making their way up the river. 



