INTRODUCTORY AlfD EGOTISTICAL. 5 



himself, and his manners had been polished by foreign 

 travel and intercourse with the best society. In early life 

 he had run into the usual extravagances and dissipations 

 of young Irishmen who have not to win their way in the 

 world, and by them had been seduced from following the 

 toilsome steps which, with his manners and talents, would 

 have inevitably led to distinction at the bar, to which he 

 had been called. Long before the period of which we 

 write he had been married, and had just returned from a 

 continental tour with his wife, having left their two sons 

 at school in England. 



He was fond of shooting and an excellent shot, but un- 

 fortunately had no taste for fishing. However, his house 

 was capacious, his demesne beautiful, his hospitality un- 

 bounded, and at his table it was my good fortune to meet 

 two men, who subsequently were closely connected with 

 many of my most interesting fishing experiences — Sir Hugh 

 Dillon Massy of Doonas, and David Blood of Shandangun. 

 The former was the very beau ideal of an Irish baronet of 

 the period, tall, handsome, polished, cheerful, vivacious, 

 passionate and hospitable. The latter was, in every sense 

 of the word, one of the best men and the best fishermen 

 I have ever encountered among all the changes and 

 chances of my eventful life. JMany were the happy days 

 which he and I spent in his Norway praam on the smooth 

 waters of Eossroe, and splendid were the trout, with 

 baskets full of which we used to return, sometimes at eight, 



B 3 



