FIRST BLOOD AT SALMON-FISHING. 25 



" I should be, with the pet flies of three crack 

 rivers Tweed, Thurso, and Shannon." 



" Ah ! let us look at your Thurso lot ; they ought 

 to do here. Yes, very good flies ; they are, perhaps, 

 a trifle large ; but these mallard and gledwings look 

 vicious. Now for the Tweed batch. Good ! a 

 business-like set all sizes and colours. And now 

 for the Tipperaries. What a bright array ! Gould's 

 humming-birds tied on Limerick bends. Yet very 

 effective ; and, strange enough, often in clear water, 

 which is against all one's fishing theories." 



" Major, do you fish to-day ? " I inquired. 



" Not much to-day. I mean to coach Fred ; we 

 shall go high up the river towards the loch, and you 

 should fish the lower parts." 



"That's a good plan; and Ward wants to sketch 

 and, same time, study salmon-craft." 



" Good boy, Hope," said Fred. " You take your 

 first course from Abbott, and by-and-by I may finish 

 you off at surds and salmon." 



" Hear the wretch ! Lucky if some monster pike 

 may bolt him." 



When we started for the river our course was first 

 up by the burn, then, crossing the stepping-stones, we 

 walked, by an entirely new line of country, and by 



