LOCH-FISHING 119 



other on his own flies. Too often, however, he is re- 

 duced to enforced idleness, and he frets and fumes at, 

 to his impatience, the needless prolongation of the 

 struggle progressing by his side. Meanwhile, the 

 angler in conflict with the trout, feeling that he is 

 spoiling the pleasure of his comrade, attempts, pre- 

 maturely, to terminate the strife, and in his haste 

 precipitates a catastrophe. The situation is more or 

 less unpleasant for both. 



It is almost impossible that two anglers can occupy 

 the same boat without occasionally interfering with 

 each other's movements, and it is in the very nature of 

 things that they should impair each other's success. 

 The number of fish taken by two anglers never greatly 

 exceeds that taken by one in sole possession of the 

 boat. If each is thoughtful of the other and both are 

 adepts in the art of casting they may succeed in avert- 

 ing trouble, but should one of them in a moment of 

 forgetfulness raise his rod while that of his friend is 

 still up, unpleasantness is certain to ensue. Their lines 

 encounter in the air and there results a tangle, the un- 

 ravelling of which necessitates the exercise of all the 

 ingenuity and patience they possess. With the usual 

 perversity of things inanimate, the mischance occurs at 

 the most inopportune moment of the day ; just as the 



