96 SPORT 



with him, that the forty- three pounder of this morning 

 was "like a small piece of this one"- the largest 

 salmon he had ever seen in his fifty years' experience ; 

 and to my horror I see him, after utterly neglecting 

 one or two splendid chances, making hurried and 

 feeble pokes at him with the gaff with the only 

 effect of frightening him by splashing the water 

 about his nose. In a fever of agony I bring him 

 once again within easy reach of the gaff, and regard 

 him as my own. He is mine now! he must be! 

 " Now's your time, Ole can't miss him ! now 

 now ! " lie does though! and in one instant a 



o 



deadly sickness comes over me as the rod springs 

 straight again, and the fly dangles useless in the 

 air. The hold has broken ! Still the fish is so 

 beat that he lies there yet on his side. He knows 

 not he is free ! " Quick, gaff him as he lies. Quick ! 

 do you hear ? You can have him still ! " Oh, for 

 a Scotch gillie ! Alas for the Norwegian immovable 

 nature! Ole looks up at me with lack-lustre eyes 

 turns an enormous quid in his cheek, and does 



