326 



frftere /tie 

 Salmon Jump 





Instantly another salmon flashes into sight, 

 catches the leaf with a whirl and plunge, 

 holds it in his mouth a moment and then 

 blows it out again. 



That 's what they are doing, just playing 

 with pretty little things that come skipping 

 and dancing down the river, as your fly 

 came at the end of its invisible leader. Half 

 an hour ago they were asleep, or utterly 

 indifferent to all your flies and delicate cast- 

 ing; now the queer mood is on them again, 

 and they will take anything you offer. But 

 wait a moment ; here comes a fish-hawk. 

 Ismaques, oh set wings, comes sailing 

 gently down the river. He 

 sheers off with a sharp ctiwce ! 

 and circles twice as he notices us in the 

 tree-top ; but in a moment he is scanning 

 the water again. From his height his keen 

 eyes see every fish in the river ; but they are 

 all too large and too deep under the swift 

 water. Later, when the run of grilse comes 

 in, he will be able to pick up a careless one ; 

 but now he just looks over the river, as if it 

 were his own preserve, and circles back to 



