188 SALMON FISHING IN CANADA. 



we thrashed the river, but not a single rise did we get, not 

 a single fin did we meet, not a fish did we see; and 

 about four o'clock getting perfectly disgusted were giving up 

 in despair, when we saw Frank Drew and Major Massey 

 walking towards us hastily. They came to know what we 

 had done, and to inform us that upon our efforts depended 

 the character of Mrs. Kelly's dinner, for that by some most 

 unfortunate mistake the fishmonger had neglected to send 

 the turbot she had ordered from Dublin, and that therefore 

 unless we could produce a salmon all was lost. 



" Upon this I handed my rod to Frank Drew, and 

 William Massey gave his to his brother the Major; we pushed 

 the cot across the stream, and they fished Lacka, the most 

 beautiful of pools, in vain, and then we all resolved to 

 give up. The river is broad at this place and we had to 

 cross it : Drew having returned me my rod, I let out a long 

 line trailing it after the cot. When we were just at shore, 

 and I was winding up, I felt a feeble pull, and upon 

 bending my rod found I had hooked a fish, which showed 

 little sport, and was soon brought to the gaff, proving to 

 be a ten pound fish, lank, and in poor condition. Bad as 

 the fish was we were glad to get him for the peace of poor 

 Mrs. Kelly's mind, and sent him forthwith to her cook, 

 while we went to dress. 



" I should have mentioned before that, some two or three 

 years previous to this occurrence, William Massey's wife, in 

 crossing the Shannon, near the spot where I hooked this sal- 



