X 



i;i:iNi)KKi; staij<ix(; 



S.M.^rox and iviiHlrci' wore tlic dhjoet of my first tri[» to 

 jS'orway — now a gond many yeans ago. At the farmlniuse 

 of lloass in Siuulal. we lioped to Ix' in lime for the end of 

 I lie salmon fishino-. Imt the season had been an earlv one, 

 and the salmon were aU wA and sk'C'|i\' al the holtoin 

 of the iiools. 1 ('ould not beo-nile a sino'le one: not 

 that that is a fact of any significance, for 1 never was a 

 f(^rtnnate fisherman. 1 hahituallv console myself by the 

 profound belief that the salmon hsher owes his occasional 

 successes to circumstances over which he has no coiiMmI 

 whatever. To me the stranoe thino- is that the most 

 exciting [tail of the capture, and that wliidi dmiands 

 the most skill and auilitv, 1 mean iraffinir the lish, is 

 gcnerall}' left lo the ghillie. 



On the occasion in question i lake credit to myself for 

 earlv rcalisiiiLi- tln^ hopdossncss of the attempt. On the 

 second d,i\- 1 determiiM'd to take a prcliiiiinary canter on 

 the neighbouring fjeld, whilr my more [)ersistent com- 

 ])anion remained Hoooin,.- ;iwa\- at llif >till nio]-c obstinate 

 salmon. I did not expect a very tangible result from tin' 



