172 SALMON-SPEARING 



"Hold up tight then, Sandy, and give a shade 

 with your cap as I tell you. That's right ; no, a 

 little further out — now then, steady ! " 



As he spoke, Gordon was slowly letting down 

 the spear a little behind the salmon, till, when it 

 was about a foot above the fish, he paused, and 

 braced himself for the stroke, his left hand grasping 

 the spear about halfway down, to guide the aim, 

 and the right hand holding it near the top to give 

 the blow, while his face was nearly buried in the 

 water, as he kept his eye on his prey. 



" Further out yet with the cap, Sandy. Now, 

 hold on ! " 



Down shot the spear : for one instant the shaft 

 shook violently as the struck salmon struggled 

 beneath the weight which was pinning it to the 

 bottom, and the next, with a loud splash and flurry, 

 the strong fish bore to the surface, and shaking 

 himself off the barbs, dragged Gordon, still holding 

 on to the spear, headlong into the pool. 



A loud shout from the watchers on the top of 

 the precipice greeted this " coup," and on the gillie, 

 who had been posted near the bottom of the pool, 

 announcing that " the fish had ne'er come his way," 

 all those who had, up to this time, been mere 

 passive spectators, made the best of their way down 

 the rocks, to take their part in the coming struggle. 



