loat, could only tell I had a bite by
feeling a pull at the line, which was wound round my arm.

After some time having been passed in this way, my attention was
withdrawn from the line, and given to the narrative I had so lately
heard; that is to say, though my eyes were still fixed upon the line, I
had completely given up my thoughts to the story of the poor German boy,
who had been snatched from poverty by the interference of the parish
clerk's daughter; and I contrived to speculate on what I should have
done under such circumstances, imagining all sorts of extravagances in
which I should have indulged, to testify my gratitude to so amiable and
benevolent a friend.

A singular course of ideal scenes followed each other in quick
succession in my mind--as I fancied myself the hero of a similar
adventure. I regarded my imaginary benefactress with feelings of such
intensity as I had never before experienced; and it seemed that I was to
her the exciting object of sentiments of a like nature, the knowledge of
which awoke in our hearts the most agreeable sensations.

I was rudely disturbed out of this day-dream by finding myself suddenly
plunged into the deep water beneath me. The shock was so startling,
that some seconds elapsed before I could comprehend my situation; and
then it became clear that I must have hooked a fish, that had not only
succeeded in pulling me off my balance, but the line by which he was
held being round my arm, cutting painfully into the flesh, threatened
drowning by keeping me under water. With great difficulty I managed to
rise to the surface, and loosened the windings of the line from my limb;
then, anxious to retain possession of what from its force must have been
a fish well worth some trouble in catching, I held on with both hands,
and pulled with all my strength.

At first, by main force I was drawn through the water; then, when I
found the strain slacken, I drew in the line. This manoeuvre was
repeated several times, till I succeeded in obtaining a view of what I
had caught; or, more properly speaking, of what had caught me. It was
merely a glimpse; for the fish, which was a very large one, getting a
sight of me within a few yards of him, made some desperate plunges, and
again darted off, dragging me along with him, sometimes under the water,
and sometimes on the surface.

His body was nearly round, and about seven or eight feet long--rather a
formidable antagonist for close quarter