A LITTLE CHALK STREAM 55 



what is known as the backwater — in rcahty a little 

 side stream which joins the river near the ford. 

 Near the point of junction it is quite considerable, 

 though almost without current. Here big trees 

 shade it from the sun nearly all day, tall rushes 

 grow along the bank, and the trout cruise about in 

 droves lazily sucking in gnats, spinners and other 

 trifles, and occasionally splashing at the sedges 

 which are tempted out by the subdued light. There 

 are a couple of hundred yards of this still water, 

 and one can easily spend a morning here peeping 

 through the rushes and occasionally dropping a fly 

 in front of a fish which comes within reach — they 

 patrol the place like peaceful pickets. On a very 

 hot day this waiting game is to be commended, and 

 a brace of trout may be caught without too much 

 hard labour. 



Ordinarily the fish are no bigger than those else- 

 where in the fishery, but one day I became aware of 

 a mighty one which smacked great jaws as he fed, 

 and made great commotions as he moved about. 

 Presently I saw him, and he had fifteen or sixteen 

 inches to his credit. And then I rose him and 

 hooked him; the water heaved as he rolled over, 

 and the fly came away. For several week-ends I 

 pursued that fish in vain. He was sometimes in 

 one place, sometimes in another. Occasionally 

 he would make a pretence of rising, but he would 



