HOW I CAUGHT MY FIRST SALMON. 193 



and deposit my ily with tolerable accuracy in the spot 

 indicated. Again an electric shock seems to run up 

 my sleeve. I strike, and am conscious that I have a 

 fish fairly hooked. But this is at most but half the 

 battle; he evidently intends to part company, and 

 sets off full tilt down the stream, compelling me to 

 pay out line with reckless prodigality. There is a 

 moment's pause. I have already learned the danger 

 of too slack a line, and reel up hard all. " Look 

 out ! " cries S., as a silver body springs high out of 

 the water. The artful beggar means to snap the taut 

 line, as he conies down heavily on the stream. But 

 I have profited by instructions ; the point of my rod 

 is lowered, and the danger averted. Off goes my 

 friend in a second rush down stream ; a second time 

 does he jump, and a second time does a similar policy 

 baffle his efforts to escape. A few short dashes hither 

 and thither succeed, but his strength appears to me 

 to be already failing, and I venture to give him a little 

 of the butt of my rod, which has hitherto been inar- 

 tistically and uncomfortably jammed against my own 

 stomach. The fish resents the donation, however, by 

 another rush and another jump, but with no more suc- 

 cess than before, and he is now evidently nearly done 

 for. Luckily he is well hooked in the upper jaw, and, 

 taking advantage of his exhaustion, I " coerce " him, 

 and turning his head up stream I commence the 

 process of " drowning " him. The end is now very 

 near ; for though he makes one or two game efforts, 



VOL. I. N 



