ANGLING REMINISCENCES. 207 



seemingly by way of whim than from fatigue, I be- 

 gan to make calculations as to the possibility of se- 

 curing him before night, seeing that the afternoon 

 was already far advanced, and my situation in the 

 uninhabited and swampy moor, should darkness 

 happen to overtake me, was not to be regarded as 

 one altogether free from peril. 



" Being, however, unwilling to break from the 

 chance I possessed of capturing a trout so enormous, 

 I found it necessary to put in practice some means, 

 in order to rouse him as quickly as possible from 

 the lethargic and immoveable position assumed by 

 him after his recent exertions ; as, without doing this, 

 I had no likelihood of so fatiguing the fish as to ob- 

 tain a speedy conquest over him. Accordingly, I 

 committed myself with great caution to the water 

 which, be it remarked, was deep, rapid, and, as 

 to the footing it afforded, not a little precarious. 

 Scarcely, indeed, had I advanced three paces, before 

 I found myself engulphed waist-high, and on the 

 point of being carried dov/nward by the strength of 

 the current ! 



" At this moment, however, a sudden strain on my 

 line indicated the intentions of the fish to renew his 

 run ; whereupon, more regardful of him than of my 

 own peril, I only clenched my rod with the greater 

 vigour, and relying on the strength of tackle with 

 which I happened to be provided, actually suffered 

 myself to be dragged forward into the midst of a 

 black, dangerous pool ! Here, fortunately, through 



