54 ARTIFICIAL FLY-FISHING. 



his flies down softly as a snow-flake just above the 

 desired spot. A moment of expectancy succeeds, 

 the flies approach the very place where the trout 

 was last seen. Look at the angler how with keen 

 eye he watches, to strike with alert hand the 

 moment he either feels or sees the least movement. 

 There is a stoppage of the line and an instantaneous 

 movement of the angler's wrist and the trout is fast. 

 At first he shakes his head as if surprised and be- 

 wildered at the unwonted interference with his 

 liberty, but gradually awakening to a sense of the 

 danger of his position, he collects his scattered 

 energies and makes a gallant fight for liberty ; 

 frequently he will leap in the air several times as if 

 to ascertain the character of his opponent, and then 

 make a frantic rush ; but the figure on the bank 

 follows him like a shadow, and at last, strength and 

 hope both exhausted, he turns on his side and be- 

 comes an easy prey, leaving the angler to contem- 

 plate the speckled sides of his captive with satisfac- 

 tion, and to congratulate himself on having achieved 

 such a feat with a tiny hook and tackle like a gos- 

 samer. 



The victory, however, is not always with the 

 angler more frequently the other way ; often at 

 the last moment, just as he is putting out his hand 

 to secure his prize, the trout makes a bolt and is 

 gone, leaving the disappointed artist the picture of 

 blank dismay, and in a very unenviable frame of 

 mind ; indeed, of all the trials of the temper which 



