MEMOIRS OF MONSTERS. 
83 
secured. But the thick-set branches, projecting far 
across the stream, forbade this, and two alternatives 
remained. One was to drop still lower down stream, 
trusting to find shallows and to get in the cleek at 
the foot of the pool. This, however, I rejected, first 
because the fish was as yet in no sense under control, 
and the danger in the stronger stream obvious : nor 
was there any reasonable certainty of gaffing there. 
Secondly, because I knew nothing of the depths or 
nature of the water below, beyond seeing that there was 
a strong rapid at least two hundred yards long, with an 
island in mid-stream and thick wood on either bank. 
Hence I elected the other course, and endeavoured 
slowly to tow the half-beaten fish up-stream, and thus 
clear the trees.* While thus engaged, though exerting 
* A stone thrown in a little below the fish’s tail at this point 
might have served the purpose. But we did not think of that 
at the time. 
