106 Sporting Sketches in Pen and Pencil. 



should likewise render to Csesar that which is his also, I would only ohserve 

 in this last ohligation that the per contra has to he considered and 

 oheyed likewise, viz., that Csesar should render to me that which is 

 mine, which, in this case, I don't think he does; and the result is, 

 that England is only " merry " now when it is drunken. 



But eschewing politics, and returning to the roach, I have to say 

 that the roach is to the Londoner what the trout is to the North- 

 countryman. It is the hackbone of his sport. It inhabits a great variety 

 of waters. It grows pretty quickly, affords good sport, and is by no 

 means a despicable dish when properly treated and cooked. Thousands of 

 anglers in London are roach fishers and nothing else, and if you want to 

 see the skilful East Ender at his work, walk up the banks of the Lea any 

 Saturday afternoon in the season, and count the number of twenty-foot 

 rods you will see projecting over every mile of the water, and you will 

 be inclined to wonder where all these rods can find sport enough to 

 satisfy them, or perhaps to calculate how little sport each rod will be content 

 to be satisfied with. 



The roach has been called the river sheep, because it is supposed to 

 be so easily taken. This may be true of the younglings, more particularly 

 in a stream or pond little fished; but go into a well- fished stream among 

 a shoal of " pounders," and see what you can do there, even with the finest 

 hair tackle, unless you can get a coloured water to assist you. In my 

 stream I never think of going out unless the water is coloured. It is true 

 that by dodging behind trees or lying on one's stomach an odd fish or 

 two can sometimes be taken in clear water, but their name is anything 

 but legion, nor do the big fish as a rule bite well before the winter, when 

 all the weeds are gone. Summer long they remain in the weed feeding 

 on weed and minute insects— and not till they are obliged, do they take 

 to more sporting practices. Formerly I did my winter reaching in 

 the Thames; but the Thames is not only often severely disappointing, it 

 is expensive, and 10«. or 15«. for a dozen or two of wee-bit roaches or so is 

 more than I can stand But I have metal more attractive now close home. 

 I have as fine reaching, &c., as there is in the county of Middlesex, when 

 the fish are in the humour, not two hundred yards from my back door, 



