FISHING FOR SEA-TROUT 219 



In one of the pools a big chap rose several times 

 to our flies without actually touching. " Now," 

 said John, "this is the time to produce my big 

 bird," and out of his pocket came an immense bass 

 fly — the largest I have ever seen. It was put on 

 the wife's leader and was sent whizzing through 

 the air toward where the fish lay. With a mighty 

 splash the fly struck the water. This was too 

 much for any self-respecting trout. Up he came, 

 and with a gulp took the offending disturber of 

 his meditations. What a time he made of it ! 

 Up and down the pool ; here, there, everywhere, 

 and finally, just as it seemed about time to bring 

 him to the net he got loose, and that was, of course, 

 the last we saw of him. But it goes to show what 

 I have always maintained — that occasionally a very 

 large fly wiU excite or provoke a trout or salmon, 

 and prove very effective when aU else fails. 



For several days we continued our way down 

 the river, camping, usually, fairly early in the day. 

 One afternoon, as we were about to pitch camp, 

 the rain came down in torrents. Some women 

 would have been discouraged at getting their hair 

 out of curl, but the wife thought it great fun. 

 Dressed in a waterproof, with the case of the 

 waterproof for a hat (that's an idea worth remem- 

 bering), she cooked us a dehcious dinner. 



I have been camping with people who, when it 

 rained, regarded it as a personal insult for which 

 one of the party (I was usually the one) was 

 entirely to blame. " Why hadn't I told them it 

 was hke this, and of course they wouldn't have 

 thought of coming." "How could anyone be 



