A Sportsman at Large 303 



Here and there, the flood had invaded the surrounding land, 

 forming a series of large lagoons. Whilst skirting one of these, 

 I observed distinct rises of fish of some kind, far and wide. I 

 had my eight-foot fly rod with me, but had left my waders at 

 home. However, the ever-obliging " Bonehead " volunteered 

 to fetch them ; being, as he said, dead keen on seeing me 

 perform. 



During his half-hour's absence, I sat me down under an 

 adjacent pine and lit my pipe. The rises were still dimpling 

 the surface merrily ; but I was unable to decide what manner 

 of fish were responsible for them. 



As soon as my volatile friend returned, I donned the waders, 

 set up a cast with a medium " March brown " and a small 

 " butcher " and commenced operations. Surely this was a 

 queer game, casting for fish among small larches and hazel- 

 bushes. The "going" was pretty level from two to three 

 feet in depth, but there were pitfalls which had to be carefully 

 avoided. 



I approached within casting distance of a fish that was 

 rising persistently. It came for my " stretcher " at once, 

 but I felt nothing. As this unproductive disturbance was 

 repeated half a dozen times, I was able to make a shrewd 

 guess at the identity of the fish. 



A few more casts and I had him all right. Yes, as I expected, 

 a grayling of three-quarters of a pound. After fishing for 

 an hour or so I had a score of the " ladies," all about the same 

 size. They were in fair condition, but not what they would 

 be in four months' time. 



Subsequently I discovered that the small tributaries of 

 the Rauma teemed with salmo thymallus, and that when the 

 land became flooded they spread themselves far and wide ; 

 but I never caught a grayling in the Rauma itself, which 

 seems odd. 



There was, too, a fair showing of trout in these small streams, 

 but none of great size : the biggest I accounted for only just 

 exceeded the pound. As matters turned out, I had, faute 

 de mieux, to fall back on these small deer to satisfy my pis- 

 catorial cravings and to garnish our meagre board. But I 

 anticipate. 



