356 THE SALMON FLY. 



course by the sudden fall or blast of wind, the line is easily propelled by 

 butt action. 



It is not easy for the untrained eye to actually see what is being done 

 or what has taken place, though the educated eye and touch of the 

 seasoned veteran enable him to immediately form a definite opinion for 

 himself. If in lifting the line, the student is uncertain, what then ? If 

 a wise man, he will cease, let the whole thing " slide " and begin again ; 

 for he should be alive to the fact that, having lost the "tug" the 

 thrash-down would ruin the rod for good and all. And so the decrees 

 of Fate are accepted with a resignation becoming an instructed 

 sportsman. 



How often on these occasions have I witnessed a little sympathy 

 shown in a few encouraging words uttered in the presence of beginners, 

 and observed the immediate effect ! In fact, nothing is more odious to 

 me than meeting with that indifferent individual, so wrapped up in himself 

 and his own affairs, as to prevent his being moved with either the failure 

 or the success of others. It is hardly within the power of novices to 

 quickly discover or dodge these difficulties by the aid of the eye, or by 

 the sense of touch, the very force and fickleness of the wind tend so much 

 to deception. 



Now we come to the thrash-down. 



This terrible " stroke," easier to demonstrate than describe in a cold 

 written page, differs considerably from that in other casts; yet it has 

 intrinsic merits and is entirely orthodox in principle. In point of fact, 

 the line is made to cut through the air, not by merely checking the rod 

 in the usual way, but indeed by absolutely nipping it at the butt, so as 

 to arrest its course instanter. Now this "nipping" is a rather difficult 

 and precarious experiment for the novice. I have heard old people say : 

 " It is so easy," and tantalise one by winding up with, " but you've got to 

 know it first." 



In all cases our nerves brace themselves up to an effort or they do not. 

 The Wind Cast is not beset with grievous complications to the nervous 

 system, yet " nipping the rod " properly, is in a great measure dependent 

 on good nerves ; and nipping in this cast is a feature of the first 

 importance, The enormous upward strain of the rod in raising the line 



