82 DAYS IN DOVE DALE 



The sun was scorching, and the water bright 

 and low and glistening ; and yet, with these 

 things against him, the major captured three 

 brace of fine trout before luncheon ; whilst 

 the success of other piscators at " The Izaak " 

 was thus querulously recorded by one of them 

 in the visitors' book : 



" The sun was burning in the skies, 

 And de'il a bit would the fishes rise : 

 We fished from half-past ten till four, 

 And de'il a bit would we fish any more ! " 



The afternoon we devoted to a small picnic 

 in the woods on the Staffordshire side of the 

 river, returning home to dinner that is, all of 

 our party except the major; he, with a packet 

 of sandwiches, pursued his calling up " The 

 Dove." 



Let me mention here that as I was strolling 

 through the wood, I saw a poor little field-mouse 

 right in the middle of the grassy road, making 

 the most curious contortions : first it would 

 stand up on its hind legs with the two 

 forepaws resting on its breast, and its tiny 

 nose peering upwards and around one could 

 almost fancy it was saying its prayers ; then 



