FEBRUARY FILL-DYKE 43 



violent and uncompromising for a few seconds 

 that it reminds me of the highly imagina- 

 tive description by a French journalist of a 

 combat between King George and a salmon, 

 in the days when the Franco-British pressmen 

 were engaged in writing up each other's pro- 

 minent personages by way of keeping going 

 the good feeling between the two countries 

 at a critical moment in the war. Here is a 

 literal translation ; it reached me in Whitehall 

 when I had something to do with co-ordinating 

 " propaganda " (hateful word) on behalf of 

 the Government. Needless to say, the article 

 was intended to be most complimentary to 

 His Majesty, and the writer made what he 

 thought was the best use of his lively imagina- 

 tion with that end in view : 



He is an angler of the first force, the King of Britain. 

 Behold him there, as he sits motionless under his umbrella, 

 patiently regarding his many-coloured floats : how ob- 

 stinately he contends with the elements ! It is a summer 

 day of Britain that is to say, a day of sleet and fog and 

 tempest. But what would you ? It is as they love it, 

 those who would follow the sport. Presently the King's 

 float begins to descend. My God ! but how he strikes ! 

 That hook is implanted in the very bowels of the salmon. 

 The King rises. He spurns aside his footstool. He strides 

 strongly and swiftly towards the rear. In good time the 

 salmon comes to approach himself to the bank. Aha ! 

 the King has cast aside his rod. He hurls himself flat 



