As we were now entirely dependent upon the rod and the rifle for
the support of our party, I determined to try for a fish, as I
felt quite certain that some big fellows in the main river would
be waiting to receive the small fry that were hurrying away from
the exhausted waters of the Till.
I had a good supply of tackle, and I chose a beautifully straight
and tapering bamboo that had been brought down by the river
floods. I cut off the large brass ring from a game-bag, which I
lashed to the end of my rod; and having well secured my largest
winch, that carried upwards of 200 yards of the strongest line,
I arranged to fish with a live bait upon a set of treble hooks.
In one of the rocks at the water's edge was a circular hole about
three feet in diameter and five or six feet deep; this appeared
like an artificial well, but it was simply the effect of natural
boring by the joint exertions of the strong current conmbined
with hard sand and gravel. This had perhaps years ago settled in
some slight hollow in the rock, and had gradually worked out a
deep well by perpetual revolutions. I emptied this natural bait
box of its contents of sand and rounded pebbles, and having
thoroughly cleaned and supplied it with fresh water, I caught a
large number of excellent baits by emptying a hole in the Till;
these I consigned to my aquarium.
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