9 o ANGLING REMINISCENCES. 



parties, although he questioned the expediency of hamper- 

 ing them with the presence of umpires. It was argued 

 on the side of the club, that to approximate the competi- 

 tors to each other in the manner proposed, might be apt 

 to occasion too great a spirit of rivalry betwixt them, and 

 have the effect of marring those feelings of ultimate con- 

 cord which it was desirable to establish. Again, the club 

 could with difficulty understand how the presence of 

 umpires could be felt as a restraint. If it were so, the 

 restraint was a mutual one. In their opinion, however, 

 it was a manifest relief ; the duties of the umpires being 

 to preserve betwixt the parties a strict line of disunion, 

 and to announce to those competing the pre-occupation by 

 stranger anglers of such pools as lay in advance. These 

 explanations were admitted by Mr. Wandle-weir to be 

 perfectly satisfactory, and he accordingly withdrew his 

 amendment. 



VIII. That the artificial fly alone shall be angled with, and 

 no cross-lines adopted. 



IX. That no competitor shall be allowed an assistant. 



X. That the fish captured shall be estimated by weight, and 

 not by number. 



XI. That should one of the competitors happen to produce a 

 grilse or salmon (of which there are a few at present in the 

 water), the capture of such fish being with the trouting-fly a 

 matter of chance more than of skill, it shall not be reckoned, 

 however large, to exceed the weight of three pounds. 



To this regulation the most cordial assent was given by 

 Mr, Wandle-weir and the other gentlemen present ; and 

 after discussing a few minor preliminaries, among 

 which the dinner was taken into ample consideration, 

 the two parties started, precisely as the clock struck 

 nine, from the small parlour iu H n Inn. Dr. 



