16 Prevention better than cure. Chapt. ii. 



on uremittingly without a moments respite. Do not give 

 him an instant to think, or it may occur to him to take 

 up a position in which he can sulk at the hottom, and 

 that is dreadfully slow work. You must then try all 

 the remedies usually prescribed for a sulking salmon, 

 but it is a tedious business at the best, and it is losing 

 time while you might be trying for another fish. My 

 faith is that by sufficient promptitude you can prevent his 

 ever taking to sulking at all. The very moment he ceases 

 rushing, commence winding up, and wind away as vigor- 

 ously as you dare without a second's hesitation. Do not 

 wait for him to shape the course of events, but shape it 

 yourself. It is not impossible you may land him at once, 

 getting him on shore before he has well made up his 

 mind what to do. But the probabilities are that as he 

 finds himself nearing the shore, and gets a clearer view 

 of the great big trowsered biped that is bothering him, 

 he will summon up all his strength for another rush. 

 All right, that is just what you want; you only want to 

 make him keep on exerting himself unremittingly, and 

 he must soon be yours. Is there no music in that whir 

 whir whir of the check reel, the rod bending bravely all 

 the while! Surely it was of this that the sporting poet 

 Shakspere said some hard things with reference to 



"The man who hath no music in himself 



"Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds. 1 ' 



Fire away Mr. Mahseer, discourse sweet music on the 

 long stringed winch. The more the fish fights the better, 

 the better for sport, the better for speedily killing him; 



