RESULTS OF PRECIPITANCY. 113 



his head, by the right, all the time. The captive proved 

 to be a fine fellow of a pound and a quarter weight. 



If a trout is too large to be lifted at once out of the 

 water, sans ceremonie, and the river is bounded by steep 

 banks (and that important functionary Jones, and his 

 landing-net, are not in attendance) the only plan is to lead 

 him as quietly as possible to the nearest bed of sand or 

 gravel, and there drag him ashore ; as it is extremely 

 hazardous to attempt to lay hold of a fish in deep water 

 or against a bank-side, and in six cases out of seven, he 

 will escape if the attempt is made. Alas ! how many 

 fish are continually lost just at the moment of trans- 

 ference from the water to the creel, through the hurry 

 and precipitancy of the nervous and over-anxious 

 angler to land them by main force, before they are half 

 exhausted and ready for such an attempt. I would 

 here strongly urge the necessity of exercising the most 

 deliberate coolness and self-possession, in a contest -with 

 a large fish ; as all nervous haste to bring him to land 

 before he is thoroughly exhausted and capitulates, will 

 only end in the escape of the fish, and the return qf the 

 line bootless to the feet of its disappointed owner. On the 

 other hand, a fish that is securely hooked, if it is pro- 

 perly manoeuvred, has little chance of escape, unless it 

 is in the immediate vicinity of bushes, rocks, and other 

 obstructions ; for however long and furious his opposition 

 may be, we know that the more desperately he struggles 

 against the rod, the sooner will his physical powers be 

 exhausted and the contest terminated. Give me fair 

 water, and no favour, and I will bet ten to one against 

 F 2 



