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CHAPTER IX. 



THE BIG TROUT. 



''Or haply on some river's cooling bank, 

 Patiently musing, all intent, I stand 

 To hook the finny glutton ; his weight 

 My taper angle bends ; surprised, amazed. 

 He glitters in the sun, and struggling pants 

 For liberty, till in the purer air 

 He breathes no more." — SO-MERVILLE. 



Trout-fishixg of any kind is now very diffi- 

 cult to get^ and for really good fishing, the 

 disciple of Isaac Walton must travel far, and 

 fish fine and far off. I think railways have 

 done as much to cause this as they have done 

 to bring the sport of hunting within reach of 

 hundreds who were previously debarred from 

 it. Fishing was at one time considered to be 

 the poor man's sport, but I doubt very much 

 if it is now ; I don't mean catching roach 

 and gudgeons, and such like, for I never did, 

 and 1 am sure I shall never now acquire the 



