Duties of Boatman. 29 



come into operation. If you are obliged to 

 take a perfect greenhorn, we know of no other 

 course than to order him to keep in the wake 

 of some other boat, but that at such a distance 

 as not to be offensive. (See next chapter on 

 the "Etiquette of Loch-fishing.") But let us 

 assume that you get on to ground where fish 

 are : the first point is to see that everything 

 is in order, all unnecessary articles put out 

 of the way, and the landing-net and gaff con- 

 veniently at hand. We ought to have said 

 that a large stone in the bow is useful, not 

 only to balance the boat and make her drift 

 better, but also as a weight to which a rope 

 may be attached, and thus let over the side 

 to the depth of a few feet, to prevent her 

 drifting too rapidly should there happen to 

 be a heavy breeze on. The next thing is to 

 get the boat properly broadside to the wind, 

 so that you may have next to no trouble in 

 casting. Should a fish be hooked, see that the 

 man keeps working the boat in such a manner 

 that the fish cannot possibly get underneath : 

 a single stroke of the oar in the proper direc- 

 tion is generally all that is necessary. You 

 must also judge from the size of the fish, and 



