Norway, 14th July, 1868.
The day was dull when I set out for the river, seven miles distant, in a small boat, with a Norseman. A seven-miles’ pull was not a good beginning to a day’s salmon-fishing, the weight of my rod being quite sufficient to try the arms without that; but there was no help for it. Arrived there I got a native, named Anders, to carry the bag and gaff.
Anders is a fair youth, addicted3 to going about with his mouth open, with a mild countenance4 and a turned-up nose.
“Good weather for fishing, Anders,” said I, in Norse.
“Ya,” said he, “megit god,” (very good).
This was the extent of our conversation at that time, for we came suddenly on the first pool in the river; and I soon perceived that, although the weather was good enough, the river was so flooded as to be scarcely fishable.
And now began a series of petty misfortunes that gradually reduced me to a state of misery5 which was destined6 to continue throughout the greater part of that day. But Hope told me flattering tales—not to say stories—for a considerable time; and it was not until I had fished the third pool without seeing a fin7 that my heart began fairly to sink. The day, too, had changed from a cloudy to a rainy one, and Anders’ nose began to droop8, while his face elongated9 visibly.
Feeling much depressed10, I sat down on a wet stone, in my wet garments, and lunched off a moist biscuit, a piece of tongue, and a lump of cheese. This was consoling, as far as it went, but it did not go far. The misty11 clouds obliterated12 the mountains, the rain drizzled13 from the skies, percolated14 through the brim of my hat, trickled15 down my nose, and dropped upon my luncheon16.
“Now we shall go up the river, Anders,” said I. Anders assented17, as he would have done had I proposed going down the river, or across the river, or anywhere in the wide world; for, as I said it in English, he did not understand me. Evidently he did not care whether he understood me or not!
Up the river we went, to the best pool in it. The place was a torrent—unfishable—so deep that I could not wade18 in far enough to cast over the spot where fish are wont19 to lie. In making a desperate effort to get far in, I went over the boot-top; and my legs and feet, which hitherto had been dry, had immediate20 cause to sympathise with the rest of my person.
Anders’ face became longer than ever. All the best pools in the river were tried, but without success, and at last, towards evening, we turned to retrace21 our steps down the valley. On the way I took another cast into the best pool—going deeper than the waist into the water in order to cast over the “right spot.”
The effort was rewarded. I hooked a fish and made for the bank as fast as possible. My legs were like solid pillars, or enormous sausages, by reason of the long boots being full to bursting with water. To walk was difficult; to run, in the event of the fish requiring me to do so, impossible. I therefore lay down on the bank and tossed both legs in the air to let the water run out—holding on to the fish the while. The water did run out—it did more; it ran right along my backbone22 to the nape of my neck; completing the saturation23 which the rain had hitherto failed to accomplish. But I had hooked a fish and heeded24 it not.
He was a small one; only ten pounds; so we got him out quickly and without much trouble. Yet this is not always the case. Little fish are often the most obstreperous25 and the most troublesome. It was only last week that I hooked and landed a twenty-eight-pound salmon, and he did not give me half the trouble that I experienced from one which I caught yesterday. Well, having bagged him we proceeded on our homeward way, Anders’ face shortening visibly and his nose rising, while my own spirits began to improve. At another pool I tried again, and almost at the first cast hooked an eighteen-pounder, which Anders gaffed after about twenty-minutes’ play.
We felt quite jolly now, although it rained harder than ever, and we went on our way rejoicing—Anders’ countenance reduced to its naturally short proportions.
Presently we came to an old weir26, or erection for catching27 fish as they ascend28 the river, where lies one of our favourite pools. The water was running down it like a mill-race. Pent up by the artificial dike29, the whole river in this place gushes30 down in a turbulent rapid. There was one comparatively smooth bit of water, which looked unpromising enough, but being in hopeful spirits now, I resolved on a final cast. About the third cast a small trout32 rose at the fly. The greedy little monsters have a tendency to do this. Many a small trout have I hooked with a salmon fly as large as its own head. Before I could draw the line to cast again, the usual heavy wauble of a salmon occurred near the fly. It was followed by the whir of the reel as the line flew out like lightning, sawing right through the skin of my fingers, (which by the way are now so seamed and scarred that writing is neither so easy nor so pleasant as it used to be).
The burst that now ensued was sudden and tremendous! The salmon flashed across the pool, then up the pool, then down the pool. It was evidently bent33 on mischief34. My heart misgave35 me, for the place is a bad one—all full of stumps37 and stones, with the furious rapid before mentioned just below, and the rough unsteady stones of the old dike as an uncertain path-way to gallop38 over should the fish go down the river. I held on stoutly39 for a few seconds as he neared the head of the rapid, but there is a limit to the endurance of rods and tackle. What made the matter worse was that the dike on which I stood terminated in a small island, to get from which to the shore necessitated40 swimming, and if he should go down the big rapid there was little chance of his stopping until he should reach the foot of it—far below this island.
All at once he turned tail and went down head first. I let the line fly now, keeping my fingers well clear of it.
“He’s off, Anders!” I shouted, as I took to my heels at full speed.
“Hurroo-hoo-oo!” yelled the Norseman, flying after me with the gaff.
How I managed to keep my footing in the rush over the broken dike I know not. It is a marvel41 to me. The bushes on the island overhung the water, the earth having been cut away by the force of the rapid. I tried to pull up because they were too thick to crash through; but the fish willed it otherwise. The line was getting low on the reel; the rod bent double; presently I had to straighten it out—in another moment I was in the water over the boots, which filled of course in a moment. But this did not impede42 me as long as I was in deep water.
I was forsaken43 at this point by Anders, who sought and found a safe passage to the mainland, where he stood gazing at me with his eyes blazing and his mouth wide open.
I soon reached the end of the island, to my horror, for I had not previously44 taken particular note of the formation of the land there. A gulf45 of water of five or six yards broad of unknown depth lay between me and that shore, by which in the natural course of things I should have followed my fish as far as he chose. The rapid itself looked less tremendous than this deep black hole. I hesitated, but the salmon did not. Still down he went.
“Now, then,” thought I, “hole or rapid?”
The question was settled for me, for before I could decide, I was hauled into the rapid. No doubt I was a more than half-willing captive. Anyhow, willing or not willing, down I went. Ah! what a moment of ease and relief from exertion46 was that when I went a little deeper than the waist, and found myself borne pleasantly along on tip-toe, as light as one of those beautiful balls with which juveniles—in these highly favoured days—are wont to sport in the fields!
And oh—ho-o! how my spirit seemed to gush31 out through my mouth and nose, or out at the top of my head, when the cold water encircled my neck as I lost my footing altogether, and struck out with my right hand, endeavouring the while to support my rod in the left!
I heard Anders gasp47 at this point; but I saw him not. In another second my knees came into violent contact with a rock, (alas! every motion of my body, as I now write, reminds me painfully of that crash!) Immediately after this I was sprawling48 up the bank, having handed the rod to Anders to hold, while I tossed my legs again in the air, to get rid of the water which weighed me down like lead. How earnestly I wished that I could tear these boots off and fling them away! But there was no time for that. On regaining49 my legs I seized the rod, and found that the salmon had brought up in an eddy50 created by the tail of a gravel-bank in the centre of the river between two rapids.
Anders smiled.
Presently I found that it was the reverse of good, for, when I tried to wind in the line and move the fish, I perceived that the resistance offered was not like that of a salmon, but a stump36!
“I do believe he’s gone!” I exclaimed.
Anders became grave.
“No fish there,” said I, gloomily.
Anders’ face elongated.
“He has wound the line round a stump, and broken off,” said I, in despair.
For full five minutes I tried every imaginable device, short of breaking the rod, to clear the line—in vain. Then I gave the rod to Anders to hold, and, taking the gaff with me, I went sulkily up the river, and again taking to the water, made my way to the head of the gravel-bank, over which I walked slowly, oppressed in spirit, and weighed down by those abominable56 boots which had once more filled to overflowing57! Water-proof boots are worse than useless for this sort of work. But happily this is not the usual style of thing that one experiences in Norwegian fishing. It is only occasionally that one enjoys a treat of the kind.
In the middle of the gravel-bank the water was only three inches deep, so I lay down on my back and, once again elevating my ponderous58 legs in the air, allowed a cataract59 of water to flow over me. Somewhat lightened, I advanced into the hole. It was deeper than I thought. I was up to the middle in a moment, and sighed as I thought of the boots—full again. Before I reached the line the water was up to my shoulders; but it was the still water of the eddy. I soon caught the line and found that it was round a stump, as I had feared. With a heavy heart I eased it off—when lo! a tug60 sent an electric shock through my benumbed body, and I saw the salmon not three yards off, at the bottom of the pool! He also saw me, and darting61 in terror from side to side wound the line round me. I passed it over my head, however, and was about to let it go to allow Anders to play it out and finish the work, when the thought occurred that I might play it myself, by running the line through my fingers when he should pull, and hauling in when he should stop. I tried this successfully. In half a minute more I drew him to within a yard of my side, gaffed him near the tail, and carried him up the gravel-bank under my arm.
He was not a large fish after all—only thirteen pounds. Nevertheless, had he been fresh, it would have been scarcely possible for me to hold his strong slippery body. Even when exhausted62 he gave me some trouble. Gaining the shallowest part of the bank I fell on my knees, crammed63 the fingers of my left hand into his mouth and gills, and held him down while I terminated his career with a stone. Thereafter I fixed64 the hook more securely in his jaw65, and, launching him into the rapid, left Anders to haul him out, while I made the best of my way to the shore.
This is about the roughest experience I have yet had of salmon-fishing in Norway.
The season this year bids fair to be a pretty good one. I have had about twelve days’ fishing, and have caught sixteen fish, weighing together two hundred and seventy-six pounds, two of them being twenty-eight-pounders.
The End.
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1
salmon
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| n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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addicted
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| adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的 | |
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4
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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fin
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| n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼 | |
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8
droop
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| v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡 | |
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9
elongated
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| v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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11
misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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12
obliterated
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| v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭 | |
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13
drizzled
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| 下蒙蒙细雨，下毛毛雨( drizzle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
percolated
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| v.滤( percolate的过去式和过去分词 )；渗透；（思想等）渗透；渗入 | |
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15
trickled
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| v.滴( trickle的过去式和过去分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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16
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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17
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
wade
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| v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉 | |
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19
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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20
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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21
retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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22
backbone
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| n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气 | |
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23
saturation
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| n.饱和(状态)；浸透 | |
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24
heeded
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25
obstreperous
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| adj.喧闹的，不守秩序的 | |
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26
weir
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| n.堰堤，拦河坝 | |
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27
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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28
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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29
dike
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| n.堤，沟；v.开沟排水 | |
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30
gushes
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| n.涌出，迸发( gush的名词复数 )v.喷，涌( gush的第三人称单数 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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gush
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| v.喷，涌；滔滔不绝(说话)；n.喷，涌流；迸发 | |
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32
trout
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| n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属) | |
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33
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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34
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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35
misgave
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| v.使（某人的情绪、精神等）疑虑，担忧，害怕( misgive的过去式 ) | |
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36
stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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38
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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39
stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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40
necessitated
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| 使…成为必要，需要( necessitate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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42
impede
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| v.妨碍，阻碍，阻止 | |
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43
Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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44
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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45
gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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46
exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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47
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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48
sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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49
regaining
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| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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50
eddy
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| n.漩涡，涡流 | |
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51
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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52
blandly
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| adv.温和地，殷勤地 | |
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53
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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54
profundity
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| n.渊博；深奥，深刻 | |
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55
depicted
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| 描绘，描画( depict的过去式和过去分词 )； 描述 | |
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56
abominable
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| adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的 | |
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57
overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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cataract
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| n.大瀑布，奔流，洪水，白内障 | |
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60
tug
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| v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船 | |
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61
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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63
crammed
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| adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式) | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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