94 The best fish in the deepest runs. Chapt. vi. 



instead of the Ryot raising paddy as he does here. Still 

 out of Ireland the rule holds good, and the swell fish, as 

 well as his brother biped, is to be found in the best 

 quarters ; and those are readily recognizable. 



Look for a Mahseer and the like of him in just such 

 water as you would expect to find a salmon, in the deep 

 runs, especially where a fall enters a pool, and in the 

 eddies of those runs. The smaller fish aforesaid, and the 

 younger Mahseer however, will be found chiefly in the 

 stickles and their eddies. The murrel (Ophiocephalus of 

 sorts) will sometimes be met with in the same places as 

 the Mahseer, but much more commonly in the still water 

 of the deep pools, and hidden close under the overhang- 

 ing bank like a pike, or coursing along its edge. The 

 eel* too (Mastacemblus) you will find in the same deep 

 pools. For a Mahseer you may fish a run all its length. 

 I have taken them quite at the tail of a run, and I have 

 taken them in the very white water of the fall. They 

 are not afraid of the water. But midway in the run is 

 about the place for the highest hopes. I have however 

 a special weakness for the eddies, though they are the 

 most difficult to fish, because I think the best fish are 

 generally found in them, and I prefer one good big fellow 

 to two or three smaller ones. But in fishing the eddies, 

 try and bear in mind that there is generally one on your 

 own side of the river, just as good as the one under the 

 opposite bank. Why should you be seized with that 

 u ulterioris ripce amore" which seems to be almost uni- 

 *This is not the true eel; see the chapter on eel fishing. 



