158 AVON (hants) pike. 



war between man and fish. The pike, feehng for the 

 first time herself out of water, began to lash about most 

 furiously. Jardine stopped this little game with a slight 

 blow on the head, which had only a slight effect in 

 felling the fish. 



The fish, however, was determined to do as much 

 mischief as she could. Lashing her tail about like a 

 crocodile, she first upset the large bait- can, which con- 

 tained the live baits, so that there was a merry morris 

 dance in the boat, the big fish -surrounded by the little 

 ones. She then made a charge upon Jardine's com- 

 missariat. Smash went the bottle of sherry, then a 

 tumbler, then the sandwiches and a tobacco-box. 



Affairs were becoming very serious, for the pike had 

 rolled up all the loose lines; Jardine then tried to get 

 her head into a sack. No sooner was her head into 

 the sack than it j^opped out again, the fish seeming to 

 be aware that if Mr. Jardine "gave her the sack" it 

 was all up with her, as is the case with the Sultan's 

 wives, who, when disobedient, are put in a sack and 

 tumbled into the sea. This, I believe, is the origin of 

 the term, "giving the sack." 



At last Jardine managed to get towards shore, when 

 the keeper at last — gone to his dinner, of course — came 

 to his assistance. The two of them contrived to bag 

 the pike eft'ectually, and they carried her a long way 

 inshore before they gave her the final coup-de-grace. 



The Avon, Christchurch, Hampshire, 'is not only 

 celebrated for large salmon, but also for large pike. 

 My friend Mr. Payne, of Avon Tyrrell, Hants, tells me 

 that he formerly possessed outlines of a pike cut out in 

 wood which weighed ST^lbs. He has also a peculiarly 

 short pike caught by himself, which weighed 321bs. 



Lord Normington, who lives on the banks of this river, 



