Salmon-fishing — Catching the Fish. 155 



hoping in vain. The line is then drawn through the 

 rings — not reeled in — ^the slack falling on the bottom of 

 the canoe, uhtil the fly is regained.* 



"A fine fish," says Tom, with a disappointed air; "a 

 fine fish altogether — altogether a fine fish," for repetition 

 is an Indian's idea of rhetorical emphasis. " Now we 

 rest him little bit — give him little fly, p'raps we get him 

 anyhow." 



Out comes the watch, and five minutes, each seemingly 

 of abnormal length, are allowed to elapse. Then the 

 angler begins again, cast following cast over barren 

 water, until the slack line is all out, and the exact range 

 of the rise is again in hand. Then follows a cast about 

 twenty feet to- one side of the appointed spot, and a 

 smaller "Silver Doctor" careers in a most appetizing 

 manner across the pool, passing in its orbit over the 

 place where the rise occurred. 



The fish does not take it, though he acknowledges its 

 presence, as the disturbed state of the water shows. In 

 with the fly,, rest him five minutes more; and try him 

 with a "Jock Scott." He will not take it. Rest him 

 again, and try a " Black Dose." It is in vain. We fish 

 over him, as if he did not exist, and finish off the pool. 

 It has been covered to its very foot without result, and 

 three quarters of an hour or more have elapsed. Then, 

 making a wide circuit, we anchor well above where we 

 had the rise, and casting but once to each side with a 

 given length of line, we gradually work down till our old 

 antagonist is within reach. 



* More than one fly is seldom used in Salmon -fishing on this side 

 of the Atlantic. 



