ROOM IN THE INN. 89 



III. That no individual shall be allowed to join in the com- 

 petition, who is not at the starting-post precisely at nine 

 o'clock, A.M. ; but the absence of such individual shall not 

 exclude the contest, should the remaining competitor, in his 

 reduced position, think proper to commence it. The non- 

 appearance of an entire party shall of course occasion the 

 forfeiture of the stake. 



IV. That the competitors shall again appear at the starting- 

 post at five o'clock, P.M., when the match shall be held termin- 

 ated, and the umpires called upon to decide. 



V. That the place of contest shall be confined to the river 

 itself, all tributaries excluded. 



A slight objection was raised on the part of Mr. Wandle- 

 weir to this enactment ; but as he avoided carrying it to 

 any length, it was generally concluded that he was secretly 

 not displeased at its introduction. 



VI. That, upon starting, the two contending parties shall 

 proceed in different directions, as shall be decided by lot ; one 

 up and the other down the river, and to such a distance, that 

 before commencing to angle, there shall be at least a full English 

 mile of water betwixt them. 



VII. That each party shall include the umpire chosen by its 

 opponents who, however, shall not be entitled to angle, or to 

 interrupt, in any way, the progress of the contest. 



Both of these regulations were canvassed by Mr. Wandle- 

 weir, who proposed, that the competitors should be 

 set off, one against the other, on opposite banks of the 

 river. He agreed, however, to the division into two 



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