46 ANIMAL LIFE UNDER WATER 



evidently knew the night angler, and it was as 

 though he said : " No doubt you are quite harm- 

 less, only poaching, like myself; nevertheless I 

 prefer to keep you at a respectable distance." 



For the last half-hour the fish had been on 

 the move, and at length it was sufficiently dark 

 to commence operations without much risk of 

 disturbing the sea trout, I carefully waded in, 

 and continued to cast a short line in front of 

 me and on either side until I was up to my waist, 

 then I knew my flies were dropping into deep 

 water under the shelving rocks on the opposite 

 bank. 



It was no longer possible to see the rising 

 fish, but the phsh, plosh as they fell back after 

 a rise suggested that they meant business. 



The start, however, was not propitious; 

 short rise followed upon short rise, and fish were 

 missed. Suddenly there was a swirl, and I knew 

 I was into a good trout, but before I had got 

 on level terms he came straight towards me, 

 dashed between my legs, snapped the gut, and 

 was off. 



There was nothing for it but to go ashore and 

 put on another cast. The expert night angler 

 does this in the dark, but I had only tried the 



