UNKNOWN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2086, 15 February 1894, Page 19

UNKNOWN.

AMERICA'S "i ifc^LE ANGLER. I had just landed f «wp a P^f^rr^ enspend a few days at '1 W, an . d .^ n | a^ c thusiastic angler, and 1 wwnmg good sport to be had in i-stoeam hard by, I took up my rod and gear and •teWidforit. bi -Look here, Mr Bri fftM* «U -Baud 7 oa

your life, as I don't believe you meant malice ; but another time, in America, nijver give a man the lie. Cover it with a bigger one if you like, and you'll be thought cute and be respected — but never give the lie direct." I shall always follow that advice under similar circumstances. TWO THOUT AND A SWALLOW. On a fine sunny day last July 1 was fishing for trout iv the South E-sk, near Bridge of Dun, in Forfarshire, and the swallows were skimming along the surface of the water in chase of insects. I had cast my flies right up to the far bank of the river, and having hooked two small trout simultaneously, I was reeling them slowly in, when one of the birds darted at one of the flies which was out of the water and got caught. In its frantic efforts to escape the swallow lifted the two trout completely out of the water two or three times. Before I managed to got the catch reeled up, the swallow had managed to escape, and he will doubtless look twice at his flies in future. QUITE A CHAMPION LIE. A few years ago a friend of mine was fishing with me in a small rivulet which runs down the Bolan Pass, Beluchistan. We were baiting with worms, and, finding ourselves running short of bait, my friend vf ent in search of more, leaving his rod on the bank, with the line in the water. At this time I was aboub 300 yds from him up stream. Oq his return, much to his surprise, his rod was nowhere to be seen ; so down the stream he went in search of ib. On nearing a bend he there discovered it, and after a deal of exertion he succeeded in grasping the butt end. Feeling something tugging against him, he thought he had a least a fish weighing a dozen i pounds, Judge his surprise when, from round the bend, up flew a big brown duck, fairly hooked, having in diving discovered the bait and gobbled it up. Another surprise, however, awaited us After having been unhooked and put away in a basket, ib laid an egg, whjch on our arrival at arest-houfe we produced, with other provisions, to be cooked for breakfast.

I shall never forget the look of horror on the native cook's face when he saw the egg we put on the table commence to twist and tumble about. Ib would nob remain btill, and on breaking it to ascertain the cause, the mystery was at once explained by a fish of the roach species jumping out, apparently none the worse for its close confinement.