Tragic Fishing Moments 



to bring a salmon home to you," when we came around 

 the head of the island. 



Just at that moment my trout rod began to bend, 

 oh, so slowly, quietly, with never a jerk or tremor. It 

 was a fish a big fish! I, who had so successfully 

 caught a nine-pounder, knew that while this one felt 

 like a block of granite, it was yet a fish, for there was 

 a gentle vibration to the line that only a whirling pro- 

 peller at the end of some huge fish could give. 



Daddy was busy with his oars, but he came to his 

 feet with a jump when I said very calmly and solemnly : 

 " I've got a fish." He looked a little bit disgusted as 

 he saw the bent rod without a single thrill of life in it, 

 and said, "Oh, no, it's just a snag," and came forward 

 to rid the line of it. He gave the line a test jerk. Then 

 a shock of electricity ran down his whole frame, and 

 his face looked like the sun coming from behind a 

 rain cloud, as he shouted to Laura to get her line in as 

 fast as she could, and not to mind about the speed 

 records. He said many words in the next half minute, 

 which translated very elegantly would run something 

 like this : " Great heavens above and earth below ! Ye 

 sun, and stars, and moon ! Yes, my darling daughter, 

 you have a fish, but he is as big as the whole bottom 

 of the river, and as strong as ten elephants. Now you 

 follow your father's instructions implicitly and you 

 will land this Goliath even as a David." I hope you 

 admire my translation, for it is hard to find words 



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