53 



on with " favorite" trout No. 2 ; cautiously I thre* a yard 

 01' two above the place where I saw the splash ; just to 

 " tickle his fancy," I brought my second cast along the spot ; 

 when, like a porpoise, he made a roll and gulped my little 

 fly. Never did I have such a struggle with a fish. After he 

 felt the hook, he gave a dash and a running leap of at least 

 ten feet — leap after leap in succession — and then down the 

 rapid. — 'Tis a fearful struggle ; no power can keep him 

 up. My line is two-thirds out ;^-so I must follow. Across 

 the rivej on a slippery, shelving bed I make my way. I 

 arrive in safety on the opposite shore ; my eye upon my 

 rod, with a tolerably tight line. My gentleman takes to 

 deep water ; — I follow him down, winding gently and with 

 care. My gut is good — but I fear for my hook. I press 

 on him ; — off he darts, but my eye is on him. Down the 

 fiver he goes and over a ledge of rocks, which I vain try 

 to prevent his passing. I ease him gently as he goes 

 over. I dread I'll lose him ; — but no ! I have him still,— and 

 still follow on. Again he takes- to deep water. Reeling 

 slowly up, I come opposite the pool wherein he lies. A 

 nice gravelly beach offers a fine place for landing. " Thus 

 far shalt thou go, and no farther." — Here I'll land or lose 

 you, my fine fellow ! I reel short up and press upon him, 

 veering by inches towards the shore. He feels his dan- 

 ger. — With one desperate effort he flings himself out of 

 the water, and, with a curve of the body, comes down 

 with the dash of his tail upon the line. My eye watches his 

 every motion, and, with" a slight declination of the rod, I 

 baulk his manoeuvre. He rushes to his former resting- 

 place. Again I press on him — lifting him gently ; and 

 now, without much, resistance, inch by^ inch, I bring 



