64 SPORT IN ASIA AND AFRICA 



smallest trickle of clear water, when the river 

 is dirty, offers an attraction, and the fish lie 

 near the junction. 



As a friend once remarked, I am very conserva- 

 tive in my habits, and it is now a matter of regret 

 to me that I did not do more tank fishing for 

 rohu in India. It is good sport, and good fish 

 can be caught in this way. On one occasion I 

 fished a tank in the Hoshiarpur District, and 

 caught two fine rohu of 12 Ibs. and 14 Ibs. I 

 then hooked a fish which must, from the swirl 

 of the water, have been a monster, and which 

 smashed the tackle which had landed the other 

 two fish at the first rush. But, as the Emperor 

 Shah Jehan wrote to his sons : " Shikar kar i 

 bekaranast " (Shikar is the business of men 

 who have nothing to do). And I found it im- 

 possible to devote to sport all the time that I 

 would have liked to devote to it. I played hard 

 whenever opportunity offered, and, being very 

 energetic, I managed to find time for a good 

 deal of sport; but I worked very hard in the 

 course of my service in India, especially in the 

 twelve years from 1885 to 1897. 



On the occasion referred to in the preceding 

 chapter, when I first fished the Ram Ganga in 

 the Patli Dun, a mahser of 27 Ibs. took out all 

 my line and very nearly defeated me. I hooked 

 him in a rapid at the head of a long deep pool, 

 along the side of which there had been a land- 

 slip and travelling was difficult. The fish made 

 a good run down into the pool and I followed, 

 never dreaming that he would leave the pool, 

 which was both long and deep. To my horror 



