106 CURIOUS MODE OF FISHING. 



high precipitous rocks, especially at the very mouth, 

 one side of which is formed by a conical hill, gay with 

 blooming furze, which is known as Saxon's burrow. 

 Across the inlet, at some distance within its mouth I 

 observed a row of stout poles erected, about twenty- 

 five feet high, from each of which a rope extended to 

 the head-line of a net that lay along at the foot, and 

 a chain-hawser was affixed to a stouter post at some 

 distance up the creek. A number of men were busy 

 about the net, and some of them were dragging a light 

 cart towards the shore, with a net formed like a 

 shrimper's net, but much larger. A hind who was 

 passing on the road told me that the net is set at high 

 water by men who go thither in a boat, raised doubt- 

 less by the lines which I saw at the top of the poles. 

 It remains during the spring tides, but at neap tides 

 it is taken in. Grey Mullet are the chief fish taken, 

 which are found in the pools of the mud after the 

 recess of the tide ; two hundred-weight, he assured 

 me, were taken at one tide, about six months ago, 

 when the net was first set. The fishery belongs to 

 Arthur Bassett, Esq., the proprietor of the estate, 

 whose mansion, a castellated structure of grey stone, 

 overlooks the inlet, and has a rather imposing appear- 

 ance. 



The foot-path above the inlet passes through a 

 small grove, the more pleasing as timber is not a 

 common feature in the landscape hereabouts. The 

 russet hue of the budding oaks contrasted with the 

 different shades of green displayed by the expanded 

 foliage of the sycamores and thorns; and the sloping 

 turf beneath was covered with clumps of primroses 



