60 



THE SALMON. 



rocks give him the butt and turn him again. He comes 

 round he cannot bear that steady pull what excellen 

 tackle ! lead him downwards he follows reluctantly, but he 

 is beginning to fag. Keep winding up your line as you lead 

 him along. He is inclined to take a rest at the bottom, but 

 as you hope to land him, do not grant him a moment. Throw 

 in a large stone at him, but have both your eyes open one 

 on your rod, and the other on the place where the fish lies 

 lest he make a rush when you are stooping for a stone, and 

 break loose. Great, at this moment, is the advantage of the 

 angler who has a 'cast ' in his eye ! That stone has startled 

 the fish no rest for salmo and now he darts to the surface. 

 ' Up wi taily ! ' what a leap ! it is well you humored him by 

 dipping the top of your rod, or he would have gone free. 

 Again and again! these are the last efforts of despair, and 

 they have exhausted him. He is seized with stupor, like a 

 stout gentleman who has suddenly exerted himself after 

 dinner, or a boxer who has just received a swinging blow ou 

 the jugular. Draw him towards the shore, he can scarcely 

 move a fin. Quick, the gaff is in his gills, and now you have 

 him out ; and as he lies stretched on the pebbles, with his 

 silver sides glancing in the sun, you think that you never 

 caught a handsomer fish in your life, though you perceive 

 that you have been wrong in your estimate of his weight 

 thirty pounds for it is evident that he does not weigh more 

 than thirteen. It was exactly half-past seven when you 

 hooked him, and when you look at your watch after landing 

 him, you perceive that it wants a quarter to nine, so that he 

 nas kept you in exercise exactly an hour and a quarter." 



Artificial Flies for Salmon Fishing. The flies used in 

 this country for taking salmon, do not differ materially from 

 those used in England, Ireland, or Scotland. In the fly sea- 

 son, those of the most gaudy description are generally used. 





