158 TROUT FISHING 



Even as Tim in the game of ball is doing 

 something which, if it were intelligible to 

 us, would render his action manifestly 

 intelligent, the trout is in some supremely 

 providential relation to those vapours in 

 the atmosphere which mysteriously keep 

 him down. Otherwise the fish would 

 soon become a mere tradition in this 

 populous land of sportsmen. 



That is not all the marvel. If the 

 secret of the obscure atmospherical con- 

 ditions could be detected and a means of 

 undoing its influence could be discovered, 

 mankind, as has been noted, would cease 

 to be interested in the fish as a subject of 

 sport. It is just because the trout are 

 difficult to catch that there is pleasure in 

 catching them. Thus, the very atmo- 

 spherical influences which defeat our en- 

 deavours on the water are an indispensable 

 condition of our enjoyment in the pursuit. 

 It is only rare possessions and difficult 

 triumphs that men prize. 



Besides, is it not wonderful to realise 

 that the methods of the sportsmen are 



