260 ANGLING LITERATURE 



they will average not less, Proctor, than a pound. Las- 

 celles and North against any two in England ! We beseech 

 you, only look at yonder noses thick as frogs as pow 

 heads ! There, that was lightly dropped among them ; 

 each fatal feather seeming to melt on the water like a snow- 

 flake. We have done the deed, Proctor, we have done 

 the deed ; we feel that we have five. Observe how they 

 will come to light in succession ; a size larger and larger, 

 with a monster at the tail-fly. Even so. To explain the 

 reason why, would perplex a master of arts. Five seem 

 about fifty, when all dancing about together in an 

 irregular figure ; but they have sorely ravelled our gear. 

 It matters not ; for it must be wearing well on towards 

 eight o'clock, and we dine at sunset. 



" Why keep we so far from shore ? Whirr, whirr, whirr ! 

 SALMO FEROX, as sure as a gun ! The maddened monster 

 has already run out ten fathom of chain cable. His spring 

 is not so sinewy as a salmon's of the same size; but his 

 rush is more tremendous, and he dives like one of the 

 damned in Michael Angelo's ' Last Judgment.' All the 

 twelve barbs are gorged, and not, but with the loss of his 

 torn-out entrails, can he escape death. Give us an oar, 

 or he will break the rope There, we follow him at equal 

 speed, sternmost ; but canny, canny ! for if the devil 

 doubles upon us, he may play mischief yet, by getting 

 under our keel. That is noble ! There he sails, some 

 twenty fathom off, parallel to our pinnace, at the rate of 

 six knots, and bearing for we are giving him the butt 



