50 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



we have seen Bala, and become humbled as to 

 dimensions, but with no ardent desire to forsake 

 our old love. It may be from association, it may 

 be from some other hidden reason, but we love the 

 old "Broad" the best. In the middle of the 

 " Broad " is a flat artificial island, about fifty yards 

 square, and from this, in two opposite directions, a 

 bank of reeds extends to the shore separating the 

 two broads. In later times the bank of reeds has 

 been kept cut down, so that the broads are con- 

 tinuous ; but in those days there were only three 

 openings or gaps through which boats passed, and 

 these were the channels, or deepest part of the 

 Broad. So shallow are some parts that these chan- 

 nels are indicated by posts at short intervals, in 

 order that wherries and other large boats may not 

 run aground. On the evening in question, we were 

 moored in a very comfortable rowing-boat at one of 

 these gaps to which allusion has been made. It 

 was a comfortable boat for our purpose, that is, it 

 was broad and flat, not very swift, but very steady. 

 There were two or three of us, well equipped, as 

 we always were, for the occasion, with something 

 to eat, plenty to drink, and a satisfactory supply of 

 "the weed." An angler not addicted to smoking 

 is a pitiable object; but such were none of us. This 

 county is well remembered for its hospitality and 

 its stanch fare. A day's fishing on the Broad was 

 always provided for on the most liberal scale by the 

 presiding genius of these excursions. By a merci- 

 ful dispensation, the demands upon our attention 

 by the finny tribe seem to have corresponded in an 

 inverse ratio with the demands of our stomachs. 

 The fish became indolent between the hours of 

 twelve and three, and we were usually "sharp set" 

 at about the same period. 



The onslaught upon sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs, 

 and " home-brewed " was alarming on such occa- 

 sions. How thoroughly we enjoyed these al fresco 

 dinners, is also a thing of memory. Of course there 

 were incidents connected with these, which make 

 some special occasions more memorable than others. 

 One above the rest is so deeply impressed on the 

 memories of all then present that it has never been 

 forgotten. The thing itself was not a miracle, but 

 it would be folly in any one to attempt to picture 

 it, as it still lives in our minds. We were, as usual, 

 retired to a shady spot for our purpose. The boat 

 was drawn close under some overhanging bushes 

 on the bank of the river, a short distance from the 

 Broad. This spot is known as Irstead Shoals. 

 There are some cottages a few yards from the river, 

 and as usual they contained children amongst their 

 inmates. One of the most vigorous of our party 

 was an old bachelor, as we regarded him then, and 

 long after, of eccentric neatness, and a scrupulous 

 regard that everything should be done in decency 

 and order; if a fly dared to alight on his well- 

 brushed pants without permission, it certainly dared 



not to stay there. "We called him the " Abbot ;" 

 it might have been from his celibacy, or from his 

 love of good cheer, yet it was from neither. But 

 thereby hangs a tale. 



We were seated comfortably, lines all out ready 

 for catching a stray "nibble," and dinner in 

 progress. By-the-bye, it was an axiom with us that 

 if nothing had troubled us for an hour previous, 

 there would certainly be fish to tantalize us during 

 the mid-day meal, and if any were caught, the 

 chances were greatly in favour of their being 

 " bream," just because the slimy creatures would 

 compel us to wash before the meal was resumed. 

 To the Abbot this was a consummation not de- 

 voutly to be wished. What the course consisted 

 of on the occasion in question, memory does not 

 inform us, but, in the midst of its enjoyment, a 

 large " pat " of mud came flying over the bushes 

 behind us, and settled plump in the middle of the 

 Abbot's plate. Ye gods and little fishes, what an 

 explosion ! Who shall venture to depict the consum- 

 mation ! The mischievous little urchin made the 

 best of his way out of our reach, and the incident 

 was swept iuto our dreams for ever. 



The evening in question was a beautiful one, the 

 water clear and smooth as glass ; as we glided over 

 its surface, we looked down upon acres of the water- 

 soldier {Strcdiotes aloides), not half a yard below, 

 like a vast pit of young aquatic pineapple plants. 

 It is a curious plant, perfecting its flowers and be- 

 coming fertilized by a special arrangement in the 

 water. And what a delightful shelter it afforded 

 to the finny denizens of this miniature forest. Wher- 

 ever there is a bare spot, what shoals are constantly 

 passing in and out the neighbouring weeds; but woe 

 to him who attempts to angle over the unresisting 

 vegetation. Some parts of the Broad have a bottom 

 of bare gravel, others of black oozy mud, which gives 

 no uncertain odour whenever it is disturbed, and 

 some are nearly grown up to the very surface with 

 weeds. 



It was after five o'clock when the true sport of 

 the evening commenced. The boat was moored 

 head first to a post at one of the " gaps," nearest to 

 the Barton side, the stern floating out into the 

 channel, so that by means of a little dexterity we 

 could "throw in" close up to the reeds and 

 "boulders" (Scirpics lacustris). Why are these 

 long rushes called boulders ? Never mind ! look to 

 our business, for a sharp evening's work lies before 

 us. As we lay ready for action, it was pleasant to 

 look around on the placid water, margined on all 

 sides with reeds and rushes ; beyond these were alder 

 bushes, here and there aspiring to be called trees. 

 Behind us stood the imposing tower of Barton 

 church, sharply defined against the sky ; to the right, 

 the homely little church of Irstead ; to the left, far 

 away, on rising ground, the tower of Staltham church; 

 and from before us came the merry, merry peal of 



