A Sportsman at Large 281 



landing-stage to watch the sport, and to encourage us with 

 lusty shouts and cheers. 



Now, I had a unique experience, which reminded me of the 

 time when I had to reel up cod-fish off the Orkneys from 

 forty fathoms of water, as previously described. 



Strange salmon angling this, my friends ! 



Well, at last I managed to raise the great fish to the surface, 

 where it began rolling about like a disgruntled porpoise, en- 

 tangling it sell in the cast, which thus became wrapped round 

 its body and gills. It was dead-beat, but the question then 

 arose as to how, when gaffed, it could be lifted into the scow. 

 But the attempt had to be made, unless we chose to risk 

 towing it along behind us to a more favourable position. 

 But, thank goodness, Tolle and Lars between them managed 

 to hoist our " catch " over the gunwale ; though in so doing 

 we were within an ace of turning turtle and so messing up the 

 whole kaboodle and perhaps meeting with a watery end. 



Then we rowed back in triumph, amid the acclamations 

 of the populace. 



Forty-nine pounds, nine ounces exactly. By no manner of 

 legitimate means could the steel be induced to register one 

 jot or tittle more. Tom suggested that I should cram a large 

 stone down the throat of the corpse, so that, haply, it might 

 "weigh in" correctly; but I did not think that this was 

 altogether " cricket ! " 



Thus my soaring ambition to account for a salmon of fifty 

 pounds still remains unsatisfied. To be so near and yet so 

 far is certainly most aggravating ; but all and sundry to whom 

 I have narrated the foregoing circumstances have pouied 

 sympathetic balm upon my feelings by assuring me that I 

 am absolutely justified in claiming this remarkably fine speci- 

 men of the salar species as a genuine fifty-pounder ! 



I may add that I studiously tried that mother-o'-pearl 

 phantasy times out of number ; but never another salmon, 

 or any other fish, deigned to take the slightest notice of it. 



Anyhow, it was a grand cock-fish in magnificent condition 

 and absolutely fresh-run. It fought me valiantly for an hour 

 and twenty minutes before it yielded to the inevitable. 



This was the only fish over forty pounds that fell to our lot 



