88 MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS 



surface the action of the water folds it inwards, 

 bringing it to the trout's mouth like a natural fly 

 afloat, and not seemingly held as hanging against 

 the current. It is thus slack when he sucks it in, 

 and you have only to give the slightest pull, which, 

 being against him, gives advantage to get such a 

 hold as settles his concern with existence. In the 

 common way, fishing from above, the thing appears 

 to the trout out of course, and this he perceives, from 

 an instinct, more quickly than Sir Humphry Davy 

 could have reasoned it from his best philosophy and 

 knowledge of angling. Indeed, in fishing downwards 

 in thin clear water with flies hanging against the 

 stream, it is a wonder one should get a rise of a trout 

 at all ; and if you should, you are more likely to 

 scart the mouths of nine, than to get hold of the 

 * tongue or lip of the tenth, which would be a chance 

 next to a miracle. Without the method here re- 

 commended, in thin clear water, where trouts, if 

 unalarmed, are sure to be feeding, you cannot have 

 success at least coming splashing down upon them 

 in the coarse common way of proceeding in heavy 

 water. In the fine light they fly from your line or 

 the shadow of yourself, shy off and disown your 

 acquaintance, and you come home like an idler, 

 if not like an idiot, with not a trout to grace 



