FISHES AND FISHING. 115 



severely ; the lad clenching the hand which had been 

 first bitten, struck the monster a heavy blow on the 

 head, when the fish swam away. W. Barr Brown, 

 Esq., surgeon, dressed seven wounds, two of which 

 were very deep, and bled profusely. 



I wrote to W. Barr Brown, Esq., who very politely 

 obtained and sent this day, Sept. 18th, 1857, the 

 whole particulars in writing, from the young man's 

 father, Mr. Greorge Longhurst, of Sunning Hill, which 

 I give as I receive it. 



" Particulars of an encounter with a fish, in the 

 month of June, 1850. One of my sons, aged fifteen, 

 went with three other boys to bathe in Inglemere 

 pond, near Ascot Race Course ; he walked gently in 

 the water to about the depth of four feet, when he 

 spread forth his hands to attempt to swim ; instantly 

 a large fish came up and took his hand into his mouth 

 as far up as the wrist, but finding he could not swal 

 low it he immediately relinquished his hold, and the 

 boy turning round prepared for a hasty retreat out 

 of the pond ; his companions who saw it also, scram 

 bled out of the pond as fast as possible. My son had 

 scarce turned himself round when the fish came round 

 behind him and immediately seized his other hand, 

 cross- ways, inflicting some very deep wounds in the 

 back of his hand ; the boy raised his first bitten and 

 still bleeding hand, and struck the monster a hard 



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