346 THE KEEPER'S BOOK 



Now I shall suppose that the gillie or keeper has 

 instructions to telegraph to his employer, or angler for 

 the time being, as the case may be, whether he should 

 come or not on the opening day. His employer has 

 never fished the water, or seen the keeper before. 

 The river is in order, and plenty of fish are showing, 

 and the keeper wires for his employer to come 

 down. 



If arrangements have not been made as to the terms 

 on which the gillie is engaged, the angler ought to make 

 it his first duty on arriving at his beat to rectify the 

 omission. The wages should be fixed at so much per 

 week, to be paid fortnightly or monthly, as may be 

 arranged. When lunch is not provided, a money 

 payment is usually given instead. The arrangements 

 come to should be perfectly clear and definite, so as 

 to save any possible annoyance to either party after- 

 wards. 



Before going to the river, the gillie should see the 

 tackle, rods, reels, lines, flies, casts, and baits which have 

 been provided for the fishing ; he will then be able to 

 advise as to the best length of rod, the most suitable 

 reel and line, cast, line, and fly in the stock, and what 

 will be sufficient to take out for the day. He should 

 not fail to see that there is a gaff, a suitable landing- 

 net, a bag to carry the fish, and a basket or bag for the 

 luncheon. It is the gillies duty to see that nothing is 

 left behind. He should run all the items over in his 

 mind before starting for the river. Perhaps by repeat- 



