NOTES FROM A IJIARY 145 



Only at the bankside do we realise the 

 first touch of disillusion. There is an 

 unaccustomed monotony of light pervad- 

 ing sky and water. Everything looks 

 colourless, but very clear ! The trout, 

 too, seem possessed. The slightest move- 

 ment on the bank sends them scurrying 

 in all directions like waves fi'om small 

 torpedoes ; from these other waves of 

 fright are born. The fish carry consterna- 

 tion far and wide. Yet there are fly 

 hatching out and beyond the bend we 

 can still see fish feeding. With luck and 

 sheltering bushes we may even stalk one ; 

 but the first false cast sends him scuttling 

 off in apparent terror. What's to be 

 done ? We must think out new tactics, 

 and at all costs must we keep as far back 

 from the bank as possible. A friendly 

 alder-bush may make it possible to drift a 

 fly down to a feeding fish in such a way 

 that the fly comes first and the cast is not 

 apparent. This method has many obvious 

 drawbacks, but as a last resort it is quite 

 worth while. Again, the cross-country 

 cast may help, enabling us from the 

 security of the meadow to pitch a fly 



10 



