130 TROUT ANGLING. 



hanging dripping precipices, jutting and shivery 

 such as the Dun-Hare-Crag, Hawkslee Scaur, the 

 whirlpooling Fatterdon-Pot, or the black drowning 

 Gibson' s-hole below ; to fish sometimes on his knees, 

 pulling in the hooked trout by the line in hand, 

 as in such unfrequented situations the large one- 

 pounders are not yet acquainted with the hook, and 

 are therefore keen a T id ready. 



But these were the sports of greener years ! The 

 slippery foot on the loosening stone, or the tremulous 

 grasp, with the deep below, is not the task for lusty 

 manhood, or the stiffening bones of age. If ever now, 

 once in a season, I do try the trouting, I must get 

 on more in the way the old trout feeds, rather lazily 

 and shyly. 



It has a sobering effect, to feel the play of youthful 

 muscle torpescent ! Yet', though, like a well-hooked 

 fish, we must succumb at last, there is still a certain 

 pleasure in the reminiscences of some of our early 

 starts in such pursuits. 



It is now forty years since I, then a boy, so 

 poor as not to be master of a hook or a ha'penny, 

 sallied out to the small burn (which, at that time, 

 yet unrestrained, like myself, chose its own vagrant 

 way from Elliestown House to the Tweed, circling 

 through the low rushy le.is, forming dimple, pool, 



