234 AMERICAN FISHES. 



of the desperate struggle that should follow, before the monster should 

 lie panting and exhausted on the yellow sand or moist greensward. 



" Away ! with the rush of an eagle through the air, he is gone like 

 an arrow down the rapids — how the reel rings, and the line whistles 

 from the swift working wheel ; he is too swift, too headstrong to be 

 checked as yet ; tenfold the strength of that slender tackle might not 

 control him in his first fiery rush. 



" But Jasper, although young in years, was old in the art, and skilful 

 as the craftiest of the gentle craftsmen. He gives him the butt of his 

 rod. steadily, trying the strength of his tackle with a delicate and gentle 

 finger, giving him line at every rush, yet firmly, cautiously, feeling his 

 mouth all the while, and moderating his speed even while he yields to 

 his fury. 



" Meanwhile, with the eye of intuition and the nerve of iron, he 

 bounds along the difficult shore, he leaps from rock to rock, alighting 

 on their slippery tops with the firm agility of the rope-dancer, he 

 splashes knee-deep through the slippery shallows, keeping his line 

 ever taut, inclining his rod over his shoulder, bearing on his fish ever 

 with a killing pull, steering him clear of every rock or stump against 

 which he would fain smash the tackle, and landing him at length in a 

 fine open roomy pool, at the foot of a long stretch of white and foamy 

 rapids, down which he has just piloted him with the eye of faith, and 

 the foot of instinct. 



" And now the great Salmon has turned sulky ; like a piece of lead 

 he has sunk to the bottom of the deep black pool, and lies on the 

 gravel bottom in the sullenness of despair. 



" Jasper stooped, gathered up in his left hand a heavy pebble, and 

 pitched it into the pool, as nearly as he could guess to the whereabout 

 of his game — another — and another ! Aha ! that last has roused him. 

 Again he throws himself clear out of water, and again foiled in his 

 attempt to smash the tackle, dashes away down stream impetuous. 



" But his strength is departing — the vigor of his rush is broken. 

 The angler gives him the butt abundantly, strains on him with a 

 heavier pull, yet ever yields a little as lie exerts his failing powers ; 

 see, his broad, silver Me has thrice turned up, even to the surface, 

 and though each time he has recovered himself, each time it has been 

 with a heavier and more siekly motion. 



