68 THE ADVENTURES 



mill-wheel is stopped and the water is suffered to 

 escape by the sluices over which we are standing 

 always supposing there is no illegal net 

 stretched across its mouth, converting it into a 

 kind of trap, which too often happens. If they 

 remain below, other dangers await them. 



Do you see that man at the opposite side, a 

 little lower down the pool, with a thick clumsy 

 rod, by which he casts a line equally heavy and 

 coarse and draws it towards him ? At first you 

 would think he was very lawfully fly-fishing, and 

 would only wonder at his ignorance and want of 

 skill, which could expect any fish to rise at a 

 fly so awkwardly cast, and alighting with such 

 a splash upon the water ! But your pity for his 

 unartistic endeavours will be converted into 

 indignation, when you are told that he has no 

 such object in contemplation. Instead of a fly, 

 at the end of that line, he has only a small bullet, 

 above which are a dozen or so of naked hooks, at 

 equal distances, and he throws this line at random, 

 in the sole expectation that now and then it may 

 fall over an unfortunate fish, lay hold of some 

 part of his body when out he is dragged, vi et 

 arm is ! 



Is it illegal ? and does he know it ? Oh, does 

 he not ! He knows it well enough ; but he cal- 

 culates that you and I are not informers; or that 



