308 SPORT AND TRAVEL PAPERS 



Our water consisted of three distinct reaches, each separated 

 from the next by several miles. It is curious how persistently 

 unlucky one individual can be on a certain stretch and how 

 fortunate always on another, others having the opposite 

 experience ; but so it was with me : 



No. of No. of Weight. 



Fishing days. Fish. 



Highest reach ...... 7 ... 1 ... 14 Ibs. 



Middle water ...... 7 ... 4 ... 57 



(on 2 days) 

 Lowest ......... 8 ... 15 ... 



The last stretch of about one mile was always my favourite, 

 partly, no doubt, because there I killed so many more fish than 

 on the other two, but greatly also on account of its picturesque 

 surroundings and great variety of water. To get there entailed 

 a long car drive, but it was very enjoyable on a good road 

 through pretty country, undulating and well wooded ; then, also, 

 I was very keen and had never yet left that water without 

 a fish. 



Cheery and amusing people these car-men are, and wonderful 

 fish stories they do tell the driven fisherman stories not 

 unfrequently invented there and then, which make the time pass " 

 pleasantly, and often fulfil another object also that of taking 

 the passengers' attention away from any little failing of the 

 horse which horse, in my experience, always seems better at 

 going uphill than down. 



There was an excellent creature who beamed with delight at his 

 own stories and real startlers some of them were every 

 moment bursting into roars of laughter. An occasional " yes " 

 or " no," sign of astonishment or admiration, sufficed to keep 

 my friend going. 



To raise my hopes of future sport, he, on one occasion, 

 composed a tale about " the largest salmon ever caught in 

 Oireland, your honour." " I was with Mr. X the other day 

 when he got hold of a grand fellow, and after the biggest fight 

 you ever saw the fish was got near the bank. I had hold of the 

 gaff, but he would not let me touch the fish. ' Why not ? ' says 

 I ; ' no,' says he, ' give me the gaff, I want to get him myself 

 entirely.' Begorra ! he missed him and the fish went away 

 the biggest in Oireland, I tell your honour." Roars of laughter. 



