Fly-Fifhing. 67 



a huge ftone at his refting-place, and another, and 

 another ! till the frightened fifti again ftarted on 

 his race for life, as heavy in hand, if he was not 

 as active, as ever. Now was the time to keep 

 him down the ftream, half tired, that the water 

 might haften the work of deftru&ion ! 



Confiderably more than half an hour has fled^ 

 (not parted like ordinary half hours,) and the no- 

 ble fifti is almoft his own mafter ftill leading his 

 perfecutor a pretty dance ; now hurrying him 

 fplaftiing through the mallows, now forcing him 

 into pools, perilous to look at. Alas, for the king 

 of the finny tribe ! It is almoft his laft ftruggle, 

 daring and defperate ! Ah ! he falls back with 

 his white belly uppermoft, though he ftill fweeps 

 the water with his tail, languid and liftlefs. Steal- 

 thily now does the fimerman feel how far he can 

 go in drawing him towards the more. There, he 

 has him at laft well upon the mallows ; and fee, 

 his head is juft raifed out of the water ! Quick 

 as lightning down rufhes the almoft frantic fimer- 

 man clafps his victim with both hands tight above 

 the tail, and the next moment he is his own ! 



A falmon nearly nine pounds in weight, fairly 

 killed with a rod ten feet in length, a common 

 fly line and gut finer, if anything, than ordi- 



