INTRODUCTORY AND EGOTISTICAL. 13 



attempted to push Snowdon from its base. I then began 

 to doubt whether I had hooked a fish, a log, or a stone. 

 After about five minutes of this incertitude, my fears were 

 awakened by the animal, whatever it was, running down 

 the stream at a rate which made me pull into a fast trot, 

 and caused my wheel to discourse most eloquent music. 

 Suddenly he stopped in a small pool in the middle of the 

 river, and again I took in Hne as far as prudence would 

 permit, and bore hard upon him, hoping to float him over to 

 my side of the stream. At this time I actually suspected he 

 was an otter ! ! Again he left the quiet eddy and tumbled, 

 and rolled, and splashed, as I could hear, down, and down, 

 and down the river. I could not stop him. I could with 

 difficulty run fast enough to prevent him from running out 

 all my line. Through rapids, and pools, and streams, and 

 eddies, do^vn, down the river he went to a spot where it 

 turns an acute angle, and where its banks are thickly studded 

 with overhanging hawthorns. These I could not pass by 

 land ; the river was deep underneath them ; I could not 

 lift my rod high enough to clear the line of them ; I stood 

 hesitating on the river's brink, holding on by my rod till 

 it was ready to break ; the wheel was about to give off its 

 last turn of line ; I plunged in up to my chin ; again I 

 approached my enemy, walking, and stumbling, and wind- 

 ing, and again got so near as to take in all but my casting 

 line. Again I looked and peered and peeped and stared 

 and blinked into the dark waters, but nothing could I see 



