A Sportsman at Large 97 



orthodox pattern, so, with trembling fingers, I bent on a 

 " Jock Scott " of medium size. The sun was obtruding itself, 

 so I waited until a small cloud came over its face and then 

 made the fateful cast. The fish came at it with a bang, and 

 I was fast ! After a sharp tussle, and several sprints along 

 the bank, my prey was at my mercy and I slipped the landing 

 net under him. Had he been a finer specimen than he actually 

 proved to be, this operation would have been impossible, 

 and I should have been in peril of losing my fish, for I could 

 not have hand hauled him up those steep, peaty banks, and 

 I had had no practice at " tailing." 



Happily, my captive just fitted comfortably into the net 

 and I bore him aloft in triumph and ecstasy. 



Yes ! a salmon right enough ! Only a nine-pounder, 

 but " Oh ! how very fondly dear ! " 



Whilst still devouring my capture with my eyes an ancient 

 native, who acted as watcher, came up. He thought he had 

 rounded off a poacher. I had some difficulty in establishing 

 my identity and my right to fish the Glenderhawk. 



Pat Gallagher (for that was the worthy's name) was a 

 rather weird character, with that strong strain of inborn 

 poetical afflatus, which is found in so many of the inhabitants 

 of Connemara. Subsequently we became great friends, and 

 discussed all sorts of abstruse problems sporting, political 

 and domestic. He had a great store of ancient Irish legends 

 with which he regaled me, what hours fishing was " off the 

 map." 



On this occasion he opined that I might supplement my 

 present tally, as he had seen a salmon persistently rising 

 above the bridge, which was about a quarter of a mile below 

 where we sat. 



Of course I was up and busy forthwith. 



Sure enough, when we arrived at the point indicated, Pat's 

 words were proved by demonstration, for there was a hefty 

 boil under the far bank. The river here was much wider, 

 but the vicinity of the rise was easily reached. With exalted 

 aspirations I covered it accurately. Nothing happened ; 

 but whilst waiting, up came the fish again in the identical spot 

 where he had first shown. My second venture was equally 



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