73 



"Now, this waa mighty provoking, and — unreasonable man 

 that I was — I often abused this wise fish for his entomological 

 talents, and, abandoning for the time every other object, a solemn 

 resolution was made to catch him, by hook or by crook. 



" On the third day of the campaign, a most captivating Mal- 

 lard's wing and Grouse's hatjkle was prepared — with a small black 

 head — two party-colored antenrue and the most natural tail ima/- 

 ginable. Waiting till the shadow of the umbrageous bank oppo- 

 site fell OH the hole, I took off my shoes, stole quietly along the 

 rook and sat down on a ledge close to the brink. After a little, 

 I dropped the new fly within a couple of inches of the water, 

 and bobbed it up and down, as if the insect meditated alighting, 

 but did not much relish the thought of wetting its delicate wings 

 and feet. 



" No salmon that ever swam could resist the temptation. TTp 

 came my friend with open mouth — darted his huge muzzle out 

 of the water — took the fly in the air ; and then disppeared in the 

 depths of the eddy. 



" I was prepared for a desperate Struggle, but not exactly for 

 what followed. After I struck and found him fest on the line, 

 he made a rush out of the hole into the main rapid, and, appa- 

 rently having lost all command over himself in the frenzy that 

 followed the first prick of the hook, seemed determined to run 

 down. But when he had proceeded about forty or fifty yards 

 to where the stream slackened a little on one side, and the eddy 

 forming the hole first began, I stopped Mr. Salmo and brought 

 him back into the hole, almost by main force ; at the same time 

 hallooing lustily to Louis to bring the gaff to my assistance. 



" For more than an hour I played this fine fish — bringing him 

 frequently to the edge of the rock lower down the hole, on 

 which Dery stood, gaff in hand, ready to plunge it into his 

 side. At last, in a moment of comparative quietness, my Aide- 

 de-Camp attempted to use the gaff, but missed the proper part, 

 and only tore the skin near the tail, thus doing mischief unin- 

 tentionally and maddening the fish, which made one desperate 



