or dear
life."

These excellent instructions I obeyed with no little difficulty. My cork
came up in the back water under the rock on which I stood, and there,
almost at my very feet, it disappeared. I could not believe that a bass had
taken it, but all doubt on the subject was dispelled by the shrill whir of
my reel as the fine silk line spun out at a tremendous rate. The fish had
darted across the current, and only stopped after he had taken out over two
hundred feet of line.

"Now, sorr, jist make a remark to him," whispered Mr. McGrath; and I struck
as hard as I could. "Illigant, begorra!" said he as the fish, maddened and
frightened, leaped out of the water. "Look at him looking for a dentist,
bedad!"

It was peculiarly delightful to feel that fish pull--to get a firm hand on
him, and have him charge off with an impetuosity that involved more line or
broken tackle--to feel that vigorous, oscillating pull of his, and to note
the ease and strength with which he swam against the powerful current or
dashed across the boiling eddy below.

It did not last long, however: he soon spent himself, and Mr. McGrath
received him with a graceful swoop of his landing-net and secured him. Four
more soon followed, all large fish--two to the credit of Mr. McGrath and
two to myself. When caught they are of a dark olive-green on the back and
sides, the fins quite black at the ends, and the under side white. They
change color rapidly, and as their vitality decreases become paler and
paler, turning when dead to a very light olive-green. The mouth in general
form resembles that of the salmon family, but the size is much larger in
proportion to the weight of the fish, and the arrangement of the teeth is
different. With its great strength and its "game" qualities it is not
surprising that it should afford a good deal of what is known as "sport."

An attribute of man which is equivalent to a strong natural instinct is his
disposition to "do murder." This may account for his love of "sport," or it
may only be an hereditary trait derived from the period when he had not yet
concerned himself with agriculture, but slew wild beasts and used his
implements of stone to crack their bones and get the marrow out. The
instinct to slay birds, beasts and fishes is certainly strong within us,
whatever be its remote origin, and it is very little affected by what we
are pleased to call our civilization. Indeed, it is hardly to be believed
that one of th