242 AN ANGLER'S HOURS xiv 



thing big, something that will fall in with a 

 splash." 



Nor is big with him a mere euphemism, 

 implying moderately large ; rather is it a 

 meiosis concealing enormous. A two-inch 

 salmon fly is what he alludes to ; its pattern 

 is indifferent to him, so it shines very 

 brightly and falls into the water with 

 Aristophanic vehemence. And though a 

 few of us spend long and patient days in 

 floating each approved inconsiderable gnat, 

 delicately poised on its hackles, over the 

 unappreciative nose of Black Henry or 

 Spotted Charlie, for the most part we agree 

 with the keeper. And so it is our constant 

 endeavour to find the latest and largest thing 

 in salmon flies in the hope that novelty may 

 meet with appreciation. There was once a 

 red-letter day on which one of our fraternity 

 caught no less than five trout, and I came 

 upon him as he was landing the fifth. I 

 begged that I might be permitted to inspect 

 his fly, and found myself face to face with 

 the unknown in all its magnificence. It 

 had no wings ; it had no hackle ; it was 

 just a resplendent glorious body of dazzling 

 beads and silver and gold. My Jock Scott 



