The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-07

rerhe-s 10 keep him dry. Having reached
their iestsna ton, wAich was the fourth
crossing OF The river by tsae road. after
delightful two hours ride up the valley
they Immediately proceeded to set their
tackle Pants had his ready long before
boots had made up his mind as 20 which
flies would ne the best to use. and whilst
ne was making his selection his coznaan-
ion had cast across 4 rapid WIKI = nine
foot leader 70 which he had attached
rs>val eoachz1an as bobber. a golden spin
ner as dropper and a professor as
leader, each Of which he placed two feet
apart.
A Trout's Battfefor Liberty.
The frs: cast he made brought Up
trout that fairly made his hair curl Il
jumped fully tWo feet out of the water.
and as it giisteaed in the sunlight IL re-
sennblea a fash 81 light from the Kohl
moor, 50 beautiful was the znoEnen'ary
blending OF SIS eolors- II strlSck at the
bCayber. but falling ID seize *, IL turned
over as quick as a fash and made an et-
fort TO strike il down with its tail Pants.
an angler born, and as scientific as any
that ever cast fiy, knew that n order
TO land that trout he must keep cool.
which under the circumstances required
as much nerve as a mountaineer requires
when facing grizzly. RE had long since
learned that to get ratified. 10 use the
yernacular Of the street. meant not only
an ignominious defeat, but loss or some
portion OF his valuable tackle.
He therefore walked few moments 20
give the trout tine 10 settle back 10 its
station, and then made long cast. draw
ing his leader carefully across the rapid
and directly over the spot where 1t had
raised. when there was splash. j twttch
OF the rod, a tug and a pull on the line
that started the reel whiZZsng and which
- --~Qsa4F "A h.N9t
well hooked. IL headed down stream at a
terrific speed. but after Il had taken our
all but q few feet OF the leo-foot oiled
six line IL found the tension on Il so
strong and so monotonouS that IL stop
ped running and commenced 10 jump. en-
deavoring at each plunge into the ar TO
shake Itself loose. 1t fought at this dis
lance for some time, but not succeeding
In gaining any advantage, 1t changed tao
tics and swan rapidly UP stream, hop
ing doubtless 10 gain sufficient slack IN
the line 70 enable IL 70 cast out the nook.
bur the automatic reel took in the slack
as fast as il was given.
Finding this old ruse OF no avail, II
Ieaped again and again into the air, liter
ally shaking with rage at this persistent
and annoying tension. IL then darted
across the rapids towards friendly old
snag that lay half sunken in the stream
near the opposite embankment, but the
angler headed IL off here by applying the
brake on the reel. He knew this 10 be
the most dangerous manuever 1t had yet
attempted to execute, remembering ar
the same time that IL was this same old
enemy that had on a previous occasion
assisted a fine trout 10 escape from him
by taking several turns OF his leader ana
winding IL around and about It's sunken
outstretched arms, but this extra tension
IL could not overcome and seemed 70 con-
tent Itself by taking header 10 the bot
tom and remaining there as heavy and as
stubborn as cedar root; but a few
witches OF the rod brought il UP. and
at il again; II darted up
stream right into the teeth OF the rapid,
then il turned suddenly and with the mo-
mentun given il by the rushing current,
started down stream with such lightning
rapidity that before the angler was aware
of il it had almost taken out the entire
length OF his line, and but for quick ap-
pLcation of the brake would have brought
up with such "A heavy and sudden force
as a cable could not have withstood-
After trying TO extricate itself by all
the ruses and manuevers known 70 trout
ology. and falling In them all, ii became
panic-str1cken. II darted up and across,
and down stream again. leaped into the
air, plunged back, took header down
ward returned to the surface, splashed.
twisted, writhed, ierked and tagsed,
and fought, until IL became exhausted. In
This condition ii was gradually drawn in
toward the shore, and, whilst II was
swimming on dts side slowly. with its
proud spirit broken and life nearly ex-
tinct. a steady strong pull on the line
with the hand brought ii within reaching
distance Of the landing net. After a few
frantic death struggles il rendered up 10
the scientific angler it's life, having ex-
hausted everything else, and that, too, in
fits heroic battle for liberty.
An examina ton proved it to be per-
feet specimen of mountain trout. measur-
ing just twenty-three inches. II had
taken the coachman and the hook had
almost separated the ligament connecting
the Jaws. making an opening out Of which
IL dropped when the trout was lifted out
Of the net by the gllls. This happened 70
be the prize beauty of the day, but as the
anglers kept whipping down stream.
across rapids, over rifles and In the pools
they were successful beyond their expec-
tations In landing trout OF good size.
A Periious Crossing.
They ished down stream a mile or so.
pants some 200 yards in advance. when II
suddenly occurred to him that he had
luncheon in his bag for two consisting of
cold chicken bread and butter. hard boil
ed eggs currant Jelly and a long bottle of
milk As 10 was high noon he began 10
look about for a convenient shady nook
wherein TO sit down and enjoy his midday
repast He saw just across the stream a
hinge cedar tree whose deep shade and
Grooming branches furnished him the ro-
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