up the other lines and gave me a fair field of action.
The fish was evidently not enamoured of that delicate sand eel, for
there was a good deal of head shaking for a few minutes. Presently the
boat touched shore, and I had by then discovered that the little rod
was as good as an 18-footer, and more powerful in holding a salmon than
many of full length which I have used. The fight was a good one,
though I stuck to my policy of a pound per minute, and it was good to
know that it was a clean fish. This was my first springer, and the
poor chap had been badly mutilated by a seal in the sea not many days
ago, yet they told me that it is no uncommon thing to have salmon so
wounded taking freely.

Once more on board our lugger, we zigzagged on our course, the men
pulling with regular stroke, and though they row sturdily the boat is
merely held, and drops down rather than advances. If salmon are not in
the humour harling presents the elements of monotony, and the wise plan
seems to me not to think of the rods, nor look at them, nor wonder
which will be first in action. Such were my thoughts, and I laid out a
line of thought as a corrective. Thud, thud, go the oars, steadily
nodding by the movement of the waves go the rod tops. Aye, hours of
this would suggest a certain sameness, probably. And then came the
startling moment that is so delicious, the jump of the flat pebble off
the line pulled out upon the bottom boards, the rattle of the check,
the strong curve of the rod. It all takes place in a swift moment.
You are on your feet and playing your fish as if by instinct. The Jock
Scott had attracted this fish, and the familiar process was
followed--the stepping ashore, the retreat up the bank backwards, the
rod well curved all the while, and the fish held hard, since there was
doubly rapid water below, and it must be kept sternly in hand. The
gillie did not take up the gaff now, and my hopes were dashed, for it
meant that he had recognised a kelt, which must be tailed. And it was
tailed, and being freed from the hook was not slow in shooting into the
depths. The fish was well mended, and would be taken by most people
for a clean salmon. The expert can, on the contrary, deliver judgment
at a glance.

There remained another hour before luncheon, and the time was not
wholly uneventful; at any rate, there were little thrills. A decided
pull happened to the Black Dog rod, but the fish was away before I
could take it