CHAPTER I. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



Apologia pro libro meo. 



Not a few lovers of the gentle art are condemned by then calling to 

 pass the best Tears of their existence in India, sighing, amongst 

 other things, for the banks of Tweed, or Usk, or Bush, looking 

 forward to the too far distant time when furlough, or other 

 favouring circumstance, shall take them home to the land where 

 they may again beguile the speckled beauties from the stream, 

 or once more do battle with the lordly salmon. To such it may 

 be a comfort to know that they need not wait so long for the 

 "good time corning," that then' is as good fishing to be had 

 in India as in England; and to minister such comfort to exiled 

 anglers is my present philanthropic object. 



I fancy there are not a few fishermen in India, good tishermen 

 too, who know well how to fill a basket in England, who are 

 nevertheless entirely at a discount in India Indeed I have met 

 such, and do not mind confessing that I am myself a lamentable 

 instance of that distressed class, for whether or not I knew how to 

 circumvent a trout in England, I certainly could make nothing 

 of the Mahseer in India, and lost all too much time iu learning 

 the manners and customs of thai oriental gentleman. Sad indeed 

 is the retrospect of golden opportunities lost! What would I not 

 have given to any one who would then have put me in the way of 

 seizing them ! To give this helping hand, the benefit of my little 

 experience, to brother anglers is my object in writing. It is not 

 that I have the assurance to think I am the right man to under- 

 take the task. On the contrary, I know that there are many who 

 have enjoyed much better opportunities of sporl in Indian waters, 

 and who have consequently n <rienee, as well as better 



leisure. They are the men wl ight to write a book on the 



subject, but they do not, and it is not my fault that they do not. 



THB BOD IX INDIA. U 



