JULY 187 



length of line. One hundred and fifty yards were out by 

 this time; but I had got abreast of the fish, and the 

 worst dangers were past. Deep was the sigh of relief I 

 breathed as we reached the neck of Langhol and began 

 recovering line. A rolling and kicking movement pro- 

 claimed that my communications had not been cut, and 

 now all was plain sailing. ' Really,' methought, ' I man- 

 aged that difficult passage rather nicely. There is some 

 credit in killing a fish of this kind. It is not every duffer 

 who ' 



' What 's that ? what the deuce is that 1 ' 



The line had stopped. I tried to persuade myself it 

 had not ; there — I feel the fish ! No, it was but the rush 

 of the stream on the bight of the line. It had stopped, 

 and no mistake, wrapped round a hateful boulder in the 

 very portals of success. I pulled up — down — across — all 

 to no purpose. Finally a boat had to be brought up, the 

 line was freed, and wound sadly in, minus the fly and a 

 yard of treble gut. 



' What size do you put him at ? ' Oh, don't ask me ! I 

 saw nothing of him but the half-yard of back in the rise : 

 he may have been as big as they make them ; but, on 

 the other hand, he may have been but an 18-pounder 

 hooked foul. We only learned by meeting, that fish and I, 

 how bitter it was to part (to one of us, at least) ; but the 

 remembrance would be incomparably unbearable were I 

 certain that he was a really big fish, for such chances 

 come not every season to any angler — to many anglers 

 not once in a lifetime. 



What makes the tussle with a Norwegian salmon so 

 much fiercer and longer than one in Scottish waters ? 

 Some will tell you that the nearer you approach the Pole, 



