150 



®^ Moolhoiji; ITatuiinltst^' SM C[M, 



MEETING AT TALGARTH, 



Mat 24th, 1866. 



The first field meeting of this club for the season took place on Thursday, 

 May 24th, at Talgarth, under the most auspicious auguries. Dr. Bull, of 

 Hereford, the appointed president of the year, like a wary general, 

 determined to survey the ground previous to its occupation by his troops, 

 provide against any untoward event, and see that the commissariat was duly 

 arranged. In company with a brother naturalist, he accordingly proceeded to 

 Uynsafeddan, or as more commonly called Llangorse Pool, Breconshire, and 

 the lake was most successfully trolled for pike, eight or ten of those 

 "tyrants of fresh waters" being safely hauled in, with a fair show of perch 

 and eels. These were safely stored for conveyance to the Ashbumham 

 Anns at Talgarth, and the worthy hostess served them up at the banquet 

 the next day in a most creditable manner ; the largest pike being a five 

 pounder, that had required all the art of the skilful president, in his 

 character as a fisherman, to subdue. But we must now take the events of the 

 day in order. 



The weather, if not all that could be wished— for the wind was perhaps 

 a little too rough for the lake — was yet brilliant at times, and fair through- 

 out, just as Barham describes in the "Ingoldsby Legends" : — 



The sun shone bright upon tower and tree. 

 And the meads were as green as green may be, 

 The dear little dickey-birds caroU'd with glee. 

 And all was love and harmony. 



So the start was made from the station at Talgarth by half-past eleven 



o'clock, when nearly fifty gentlemen had assembled, and carriages, rather 



closely packed, conveyed them on the appointed route. A bill of promise 



seldom carries out all its events, and so it was on the present occasion. 



Geology, botany, and ichthyology had all to be attended to, "includins; 



carriage, boat, and diimer ;" and how was all this to be done in the time ? 



It was clear that something must be left out "in the representation," as players 



say, and Dr. Bull wisely judged that two fortresses could not be carried 



on the same morning, so "Castle Dinas" was only summoned to surrender, 



and the main force was directed against the lofty mountain called "Mynydd 



Troed." 



