54 AN APOLOGY FOR FISHING 



bringing the line back almost as fast as it is thrown 

 in, so that the labour of casting it is almost inces- 

 sant. Still, for the reason given above, it is better. 

 It is good again for the angler to get behind some 

 big rock or bush large enough to hide the greater 

 part of his figure, remaining there, with as little 

 motion as possible, till he has thoroughly fished 

 every speck of water within his reach. Or if there 

 are no bushes or rocks to be had for purposes of 

 ambush, it behoves him to crawl along on the 

 lowest part of the bank on his knees, aiding himself 

 with the hand which is not engaged with the fishing- 

 rod, and sometimes even to wriggle himself along 

 after the manner of a snake — anything to diminish 

 his conspicuousness. 



Now all this is not by any means easy of accom- 

 plishment. To creep along in the manner just 

 described, encountering some obstacle at almost 

 every step — huge stones which, unless he is very 

 careful, he tumbles over, small tributary streams 

 which he plunges into — to get over and through all 

 these difficulties, in a doubled-up position, which 

 renders feats of agility very difficult indeed to 

 accomplish, is not an easy task, especially as 

 all the time he has to wave his line round and 

 round in the air, to be ready for a long cast 

 when he at last sees his way to that consum- 



