ORN.—I shall wait till I see the results of your skill. At all events, in this country I can never want amusement, and I dare say there are plenty of seals at the mouth of the river, and killing them is more useful to other fishermen than catching fish. HAL.—Let there be a kettle of water with salt ready boiling in an hour, mine host, for the fish we catch or buy; and see that the potatoes are well dressed: the servants will look to the rest of our fare. Now for our rods. POIET.—This is a fine river; clear, full, but not too large: with the two handed rod it may be commanded in most parts. HAL.—It is larger than usual. The strong wind which brought us so quickly down has made it fuller; and it is not in such good order for fishing as it was before the wind rose. POIET.—I thought the river was always the better for a flood, when clear. HAL.—Better after a flood from rain; for this brings the fish up, who know when rain is coming, and likewise brings down food and makes the fish feed. But when the water is raised by a strong wind, the fish never run, as they are sure to find no increase in the spring heads, which are their objects in running. POIET.—You give the fish credit for great sagacity. HAL.—Call it instinct rather; for if they _reasoned_, they would run with every large water, whether from wind or rain. What the feeling or power is, which makes them travel with rain, I will not pretend to define. But now for our sport. POIET.—The fish are beginning to rise; I have seen two here already, and there is a third, and a fourth—scarcely a quarter of a minute elapses without a fish rising in some parts of the pool. HAL.—As the day is dark, I shall use a bright and rather a large fly with jay’s hackle, kingfisher’s feather under the wing, and golden pheasant’s tail, and wing of mixed grouse and argus pheasant’s tail. I shall throw over these fish: I ought to raise one. POIET.—Either you are not skilful, or the fish know their danger: they will not rise. HAL.—I will try another and a smaller fly. POIET.—You do nothing. HAL.—I have changed my fly a third time, yet no fish rises. I cannot understand this. The water is not in good order, or I should certainly have raised a fish or two. Now I will wager ten to one, that this pool has been fished before to-day. ORN.—By whom? HAL.—I know not; but take my wager and we will ascertain. ORN.—I shall ascertain without the wager if possible. See, a man connected with the fishery advances, let us ask him.—There you see; it has been fished once or twice by one, who claims without charter the right of angling. HAL.—I told you so. Now I know this, I shall put on another kind of fly, such as I am sure they have not seen this day. POIET.—It is very small and very gaudy, I believe made with humming bird’s feathers.