AN ANGLER'S REVENGE. 153 



let your bait drop into the water. There is a 

 great deal of caution necessary in managing your 

 rod and line. Some pools are shaded only here 

 and there with a bush or two ; in such places you 

 may fish with a line a yard or more long ; but 

 you must be sure to make your approach to such 

 open places cautiously, for the great fish lie very 

 near the top of the water watching the fall of 

 flies or other insects from the bushes, where they 

 are bred or harboured ; and though you do not 

 see them, yet they will see you at your first 

 coming, and scud away into the pool, and not 

 return perhaps in an hour's time. I have often 

 been agreeably amused sitting behind a bush that 

 has hung over the water two yards or more, and 

 observing the trout taking their rounds, and 

 patrolling in order, according to their quality. 

 Sometimes I have seen three or four private men 

 coming up together under the shade, and pre- 

 sently an officer, or man of quality, twice as big, 

 comes from his country seat, under a bank or 

 great stone, and rushes among them as furiously 

 as I once saw a young justice of the peace do to 

 thre,e poor anglers ; and as I cannot approve of 

 such proceedings, I have, with some extraordinary 

 pleasure, revenged the weaker upon the stronger, 

 by dropping in my bait half a yard before him. 

 With what an air of authority and grandeur have 

 I seen the qualified what shall I call him? 



