306 A Sportsman at Large 



a fortnight, I found, alas ! that my early estimate of possi- 

 bilities was only too accurate. There was not a really inviting 

 pool or resting-place throughout the whole stretch ! That 

 plenty of salmon had come up was obvious ; for, ten miles 

 above, at the Ormheim foss, they were pulling them out by 

 the dozen ! Evidently the fish had run right through my 

 water without lingering anywhere. 



When I delivered my report to good Mr. McDowell, he was 

 bitterly disappointed so, incidentally, was I ! 



But I did not complain. I had jumped at what he had 

 frankly told me was a fair sporting chance, and it had come 

 unstuck ! That's all there is to it ! 



But, all said and done, we had some measure of fun for our 

 pocket-money, one way or another. I caught a few sea- 

 trout in the river (with one exception, of no great size), 

 whilst, as stated, I was always able to fill my basket with 

 grayling and " brownies " in the lagoons and smaller streams. 

 The capture of " the exception " quoted, is worth recording. 



Close home, and just above the bridge, was a hole which 

 usually held a her ling or two. I had just hitched on to 

 one such, and was persuading it to come to net, when there 

 was a great upheaval, and it was violently seized by some- 

 thing of considerable dimensions, which held on and kept 

 shaking the doubly unfortunate trutta as Billy was used to 

 do with a rat. 



Moreover, this vicious customer refused to let go until I 

 attempted to slip my net under the twain ; then he dropped 

 his prey, went quickly about and retired to his dug-out. 



This " got my goat," so I determined on the destruction 

 of this hooligan. 



Giving him an hour to settle down in the hole to think things 

 over, I directed Johann Flatmarc, my boatman, to take me 

 in the scow, so that I could harl a " devon " within reach of the 

 would-be cannibal. 



Sure enough, that same volatile fish made no bones about 

 attacking the glittering lure. This time, there was no escaping 

 the meshes, though ere he lay gasping on firm, dry land, he 

 gave me a merry bit of sport. He proved to be of that variety 

 of the salmo family known as a " bull-trout." I say " variety," 



