194 ASSISTANTS IN DIFFICULTIES. 



give him ten minutes more. When I happened to come 

 forward and divine the true state of matters, he was 

 advised to try his line gently, when to his mortification 

 he found his tackle irrecoverably fixed in the body of a 

 huge tree. And as it was impossible to release it by 

 hand on account of the depth of the river, he was re- 

 luctantly obliged to break the reel line, and to abandon 

 a very complete set of gorge-tackle, gimp traces, swivels, 

 belly-lead, and all. 



ASSISTANTS IN DIFFICULTIES. 

 THE CLEARING-KING AND DRAG-HOOK. 



In most of the rapid gravelly streams on the Borders, 

 where the bed of the river is free from everything 

 capable of entangling a hook, except an occasional dot 

 of turf crumbled from the banks, or a solitary weir, no 

 such drawback exists ; and the same identical hook and 

 line may last through many days' fishing with proper 

 care. Worm-fishing, as indeed every other kind of 

 angling in such rivers, is pleasant enough sport when 

 the trout are taking well. But even at the worst, it 

 must be remembered that piscatorial ingenuity has con- 

 trived one or two useful implements, which may be had 

 recourse to when the line gets fouled upon any obstacle 

 at the bottom of the river. These are the clearing- 

 ring and drag-hook, which ought to form part of the 

 equipment of every bait-fisher ; especially whenever he 

 turns out to such waters as may be likely to call them 

 into requisition. Nevertheless, the fouling of the line 



