SEA-TROUT IN THE SHETLANDS 131 



hand-lining in enough slack line to enable 

 the rod to lift the remainder for the next cast, 

 and then " shooting " the slack line from the 

 hand when the cast gathered forward momentum 

 badly described, but the usual way of fishing 

 for salmon when you want to put out an extra 

 yard or two of line. 



We did nothing for several hours, possibly 

 because the tide was wrong. Then we saw 

 a boil on the surface, close to the rocks and 

 brown seaweed. The gillie turned the boat 

 round and backed me, kneeling, full of excite- 

 ment, in the stern sheets, towards the spot. 

 My rod was not a long one, only about ten 

 and a half feet, a rather stiff greenheart. It 

 threw a very long line, but, in my hands, it 

 could never achieve a short one. The line 

 was tapered, a thin one, but heavy for its 

 thickness ; the gut-cast a very fine one, neces- 

 sarily so, on such a bright day, in sparkling clear 

 sea water. The boat was handled skilfully. I 

 always think that in boat-fishing more depends 

 upon the man with the oars than upon the 

 man with the rod. Suffice it to say that the 

 flies were presented to the vision of the fish 

 without his having seen, or been frightened 

 by the sound of, the boat. The next thing that 

 I knew was that my reel was screeching, the 



