A DANGEROUS POSITION. 427 



lucifer match, and left me engulfed beneath. Fortunately, I went legs 

 first and was able to take breath now and again as the waters receded. 

 At last by a supreme effort I kicked myself out, and coming breast first 

 across the head of the rock, scrambled up to the top of it, and, breathless 

 and beaten, stepped over the dry boulders below, and reached land more 

 dead than alive. Two gentlemen fishing a little lower down came to my 

 assistance, and, disarranging my battle array, I, looking like our parents 

 before the Fall, ran in amongst the heather and into a perfect glow. 

 Deep draughts of Highland air and whisky soon put me on my legs again ; 

 and after a merry laughing and chaffing time, I went more soberly 

 to work, and felt none the worse for a good ducking and a good 

 drink. 



Our learning is just one of those pleasures we can never exhaust ; the 

 very practice of our vocation gives us strength to dare and to endure ; and 

 occasionally the greatest craftiness can be traced back to the poorest 

 beginnings in wading over the roughest track to the " seat of war." 



Some profit, perhaps, may be drawn from the incident recorded. It 

 is, however, manifestly impossible for any novice to follow in safety the 

 footprints of others. 



Take, for instance, your big, black-browed, lusty Fisher-fellow, up to 

 every wrinkle, and what chance have you in competition with him ? Not 

 that he is really web-footed, you know, but this sturdy don, this amphi- 

 bious professor, spends the best part of his life breast high in water. Of 

 course, you have no chance at all, whatever be your height and strength ', 

 yet even a giant could not support himself as easily, nor make such head- 

 way as a weak-knee'd but practised dwarf he (the giant) being ignorant 

 of the business, and relying solely upon his strength. 



Much may depend upon the material and make of your waders and 

 brogues. I find " Sateen" the best material for the former, and get mine 

 made by the North British Eubber Co. For years I have used the 

 largest hob-nails, and I carry an "iron foot" for convenience in knocking 

 the nails in or out. This useful adjunct was bought at Moody's, Queen 

 Street, Eamsgate. But there are better nails than these for very slippery 

 districts, though they soon wear down. They are made of steel, square 

 headed, filed on the face crossways ; the four corners being somewhat 



