186 



WILD SPAIN. 



lovely water. There were four pools, each debouching into 

 the next in a strong stream that ruffled half the pool below. 

 But the river ran in a deep ravine, the descent was worse 

 than ever, and for some time it was doubtful if we should 

 ever stand on that virgin shore. We succeeded, however ; 

 and presently, across the throat of the upper "run," extended 

 ihe cast of stone-fly, black gnat, and orange-red spider — 

 possibly the first that ever swept the stream. In a moment 

 we were fast in a trout of the first rant, which had seized 

 the upper fly. His defence was sullen and strong, slowly 

 moving round the pool; then he twice threw himself a 



" VANQUISHED." 



clear yard out of water — a grand silver-clad trout. The 

 end came in due course, but unhastened, and having no 

 net, no risks were run till he rolled over on his glittering 

 side, and could safely be towed in shore, and " docked " in 

 a shallow creek. This trout (one of our best in Spain) was 

 a thick and shapely fish of rather under three pounds, pale 

 in colour, almost silvery, with delicate orange blush, which 

 hardly extended to the fins. He was fairly crammed with 

 creeper, or larvae of stone-fly (in Spanish, coco), yet had 

 fallen a victim to the similitude of the perfect insect — the 

 only large fish, by the way, killed on this fly, the majority 

 preferring the small orange-hackle. 



