a thousand storms, lay towards us, came keen and biting. So
sharp, indeed, was the temperature, that the landlord, whom we
consulted relative to the nature of a river which, with a broad clear
current, flows past the town, assured us that it would be vain to think
of fishing in it, because though it abounded with fine trout, the
season was not sufficiently advanced to admit of their being taken with
the rod and line. I took the liberty in this case, as in the case of
the gypsies, to credit something less than half of the intelligence
conveyed to me; and I found, on the morrow, when the question was tried
on its own merits, that I had come to the right conclusion.

It was a fine bright bracing morning, and the clocks were striking
seven when we quitted Troutenau; a very pretty clean town, well
situated, on the slope of a hill, and commanding, as I have hinted
above, a noble view of the snowy ridges of the Riesengebirgen.
Aderspach was our point for the day,--a place represented to us as well
worth visiting on account of the remarkable rocks and fells which
abound in its vicinity. As it was said, however, to be no more than
three or four stunden distant, we did not think that we were required
to make any extraordinary exertions, and the river looked so tempting,
that, in spite of the landlord's advice to the contrary, we resolved to
try it. We cannot boast much of our success. Three or four grayling,
with a trout of moderate size, were all the prizes that rewarded our
toil, till we came to a deep pool, into which, not without a hope of
better things, I threw my fly. A magnificent fish rose instantly, and I
hooked him. We had a tough battle for it, inasmuch as my tackle
happened to be light, and I was standing on an awkward sort of a weir
when he took the fly; but victory declared for me. After ten minutes'
pleasant manoeuvring, I landed a trout, which would have done no
discredit, in point of size and form, to the Iser itself.

By this time, noon was approaching, and as we had no disposition to
burden ourselves with some tons' weight of fish, we wound up, and
restored our rods to their cases. We then turned our faces steadily
towards Aderspach, and following the chaussee, found that in proportion
as we got involved among the numerous green hills which overlook it,
all ground of complaint on the score of a sharp temperature, was taken
away. The weather, in short, became intensely oppressive, and we, in
consequence, on wh