The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-08-06
Not Easy Landing.

And so back TO him at the trot
through the now inky recesses of the
wood. Like the salmon, he was not
easy to land. Shouts were wasted upon
him in that glen of reverberating water
cries, ard from my height the pools
and cascades in the depths were not
distinguishable from each other. l rec
ognized the Black Pool indeed only by
the thrill it gave me to stare down at
it from its worst bank Of all; and then
without time for prudence to get i'm its
protests against the second all ungUid-
ed, descent, Il made for II. And, as be-
fore. there were bad steps and slips 10
it, and it seemed little less than a mir
acle that / got within twelve feet of
the top of MacTavishs head with
whole bones.
Still holding him?" l cried. "Ay,"
said he, calmly turning his face to-
ward me for a second only. Mon, he's
like log. It's a great fish,! Mac
gregor won't come and the gaff's not
to be found; and now what are you
going TO do?" I retorted. Never
mind" said he, 'Tll just get him by
myself: that's what I'll do. Did We see
the wife," II did not" l said. And
look here, MacTavish, don't be a fool.
Let your tackle go and come home to
her. What's a salmon compared to
your wife," The reel sang for spell,
and the stem of the rod quivered
to the strain. II tell We, sir, I'm get
ting this fish, or deeing for it," then
said MacTavish, with impressive SOL
emnity. Don't be an ass" I ex-
claimed "Ay." said he that's just it,
I'm an ass, but I'm a fisher first, We
ken. Could we reach the rod and hold
it and keep your finger feeling the line
till I get around a bit of a bottom %
You'll break your neck. man." 7
said 'Weel, then, I'll break 1T and
lose the salmon. If ye're no for helping
me-" said he.
1t was clear that I was TO be part
ner in his suicide at any rate if so
things were to work out clear, too,
that it were the wiser course to help
where I could rather than play the
pOltroon, part of mere spectator. IF
you will. you WILL" | said. Get on
with it then: I'll reach down. No
no." he cried. ARE We daft, mon? AS
tellit We before stay just where We
are. It's hollow as sucked egg under
ye. Just keep your head, and I'll keep
mine. I doubt We'll lose him when
alls done, but he's got me to reckon
with yet awhile. Be ready, now: I'm
moving" The rod and mis- head Veered
left together. He had to feel his way
on the water-polished rim of the basin
with it's sheet sides to the pool. Prob
ably his practiced eyes could see twice
as well as mine: but there was still the
working of that whisky In him to
handicap him and reduce him to the
same level of incapacity as myself In
such a duel with the crude, passive
forces of nature IN this midnight hour
In the glen. l trembled for him, for
myself. and the fish: but / gained the
rod, and he held it with an undevo-
ticnal kind of prayer that no pressure
of flight might be put upon me in my
weak, unbuttressed position. II SEEM
ed to me that little more than the tug
of a six-ounee trout must suffice ia
disturb my equilibrium and bring me
fat-faced upon the rocks or the water
rod and all. His head disappeared as
II passed under me. He spoke nc
word now, and I spoke none either
The believing cascade alone spoke
shouted rather, shouted i'm derision OF
our enterprise. And then, in the san
est of murmurs, MacTavish whispered
up from the left. Pass it down quick
If we're still holding him." 1t was as
difficult to do that. almost, as to view
without ruinous emotion the thought
of a conflict of any kind with the sal
mon from my own poised standpoint
but it was managed. "That'll do fine,
said MacTavish, as his upstretched
hand closed on the rod in midair
I my, what a fish, tn be any weight