226 PLEASURES OF ANGLING. 



would rise, but would not strike. He would come 

 up with a rush, leap his full length out of the 

 water, shake his broad tail at me as if in derision, 

 and retire to repeat his aggravating exploits as 

 often as the fly struck the water. Other trout rose, 

 almost his equal in dimensions, and were taken, 

 but their capture soon ceased to afford me the 

 slightest pleasure. The sun was rapidly declining. 

 "We had eight miles to row, and prudence dictated 

 a speedy departure. But I was bound to land that 

 trout "if it took all summer." I tried almost 

 every fly in my book in vain ; I simply witnessed 

 the same provoking gyrations at every cast. If, 

 however, I threw him a grasshopper disconnected 

 from my line, he would take it with a gulp ; but 

 the moment I affixed one to the hook and cast it 

 ever so gently, up he came and down he went 

 unhooked, with the grasshopper intact. I was 

 puzzled, and as a last resort I sat quietly down 

 hopeless of achieving success so long as light 

 enough remained for the wary fellow to detect the 

 shadow of rod or line. The sun soon set. Twi- 

 light gently began its work of obscuration, and in 

 due time just the shadow I desired fell upon the 

 surface of the pool. I then disrobed my leader of 

 its quartette of flies, put on a large miller, and 

 with as much caution as if commissioned to sur- 

 prise a rebel camp, and with like trepidation, I 



