TROUT ANGLING. 129 



be lying ; for to stand on shore and see them tumb- 

 ling up in the man current of broad pool or stream, 

 or on he opposite eddy, is of no avail t<> fill a large 

 basket; besides, he must wait with Job's patience, 

 and shift about, often for hours, till the time when 

 they are pleased to feed, which is various and uncer- 

 tain ; and more particularly so in the Tweed than in 

 the smaller streams, according to the circumstances 

 already described. 



When a lad, I have often fished patiently for three 

 hours without the appearance of a fin ; and in the 

 two or three succeeding hours have filled my basket, 

 which held nineteen pounds' weight. This happens 

 often under circumstances to us unaccountable, but 

 frequently on a fine forenoon, when the natural flies 

 are floating down, and not a trout stirring; and after 

 a break of thunder, or a slight shower, sometimes of 

 hail, or even a fine breeze of wind, they will get all 

 into motion at once, and feed voraciously. Much 

 depends on the state of the atmosphere, of the in- 

 fluence of which we are yet ignorant. 



But the perseverance neces ary to gener 1 pn c3ss 

 requires the angler to strive and labour diligently, 

 to wade in awkward situations in a kind of half- 

 floating way, to creep on the narrow ledge of a shelving 

 rocic, under pendent tree and brbr, and perhaps over 



