62 Fly-Fifhing. 



well-being. The very object, however, which at 

 one feafon of the year carries him undaunted 

 through a thoufand dangers and difficulties to 

 achieve ; now rufhing madly up the boiling tor- 

 rent now curling himfelf in true leap-frog fafhion, 

 and fpringing many, many feet through the air, to 

 the aftonifhment of the beholder, over lofty caf- 

 cades, and apparently impaflable barriers ay ! and 

 if unfuccefsful at firft, renewing his endeavours 

 again and again with fuch undiminifhed ardour ! the 

 very object, I fay, which incites him to attempt all 

 this, when attained, is foon after avoided by him 

 no lefs haftily, than it was purfued hotly juft before. 

 (Not very unlike the phantafies that men purfue 

 at certain feafons of their life, worihipped to-day, 

 and loathed perhaps to-morrow.) The prime ob- 

 ject of falmon in afc ending the Wye and other 

 large rivers that flow into the fea, is to depofit 

 their fpawn as near the fource as poflible, as the 

 fafeft receptacle and beft natural locality for the 

 development of the young fry. As foon as this 

 all-important bufmefs has been accomplifhed, the 

 falmon haftens down the ftream to recruit his im- 

 paired ftrength in the congenial waters of the fea. 

 If, then, he is detained longer than his pleafure 

 from carrying out his intentions, he begins to Ian- 



