20 ARTIFICIAL BAIT FOE JACK. [PART I. 



the mortification of finding that he has parted 

 company, and of seeing the wake, like that of 

 a screw-steamer, which the fish, perhaps a beast 

 of fifteen or twenty pounds, has left as a parting 

 token of his size. Pull in your bait and examine 

 it. You will see down the sides of it great scores 

 looking more as if they had been made by the 

 teeth of a leister-spear than of a fish, but all of 

 them, if you notice, simply across the bait. That 

 has been just the cause of your failure. The Jack 

 took it in all earnestness, and held it tight just 

 as long as it suited him, without taking any notice 

 of the gentle touch you favoured him with. Nay, 

 further, being rather hungry, and finding your 

 bait fresh and juicy, just what he fancied, he was 

 by no means inclined to give it up, and only did 

 so at last when he found himself mysteriously 

 drawn along with it in a manner which led him 

 to apprehend danger. 



Jack will take an artificial bait much more 

 readily in some water than others. For instance, 

 they may be easily caught with it in the Avon; 

 whilst in the Stour, which meets it just below 

 Christchurch, it is of little use to fish with any- 

 thing but the natural bait. This, no doubt, depends 

 mainly on the comparative supply of small fish. 



