FROM LAND AND PIER 205 



are so fearfully polluted with chemicals from manufactories, gas 

 works, and the like, that no fish will be found in them. From 

 a fish's point of view ordinary town sewage is unobjectionable 

 if kept within certain reasonable limits. The best harbours 

 are usually those not too much polluted, and frequented by 

 fishing boats, from which are cast all and sundry odds and 

 ends of refuse attractive to fish. 



Of course local information is very necessary. It is obvi- 

 ously no use fishing for bass in a harbour where none are ever 

 found. The old sailor who haunts all harbours, if judiciously 

 approached, will generally dole out items of information which 

 will put us on the right track. Bass, small pollack, codlings, flat 

 fish, smelts, grey mullet, may all be inquired after, but cautiously, 

 for if too many questions are put your informant's mouth 

 will close with a snap on the stem of a short clay pipe, and 

 nothing more is to be learned from him that day. Your ancient 

 mariner is a suspicious person, and above all things dislikes 

 to be pumped. 



Sometimes mackerel visit harbours. I remember, late one 

 evening or rather I should say early one morning, for it was 

 about two o'clock how, returning from conger fishing at 

 Tenby, so shallow was the water, owing to the spring tide, that 

 I had to anchor my boat some forty yards out and walk ashore. 

 It was a dark night, but the waters were brilliant with phos- 

 phorescence, and I suddenly found myself wading through a 

 large shoal of mackerel. The fish dispersed hurriedly. Little 

 bars of incandescent silver leapt out of the water before, 

 behind, and all around me, and as they fell again raised a 

 shower of sparkling phosphorescent fires. It was a brilliant 

 and very lovely sight. An evening or two later I was in the 

 harbour at high water, and saw small mackerel swimming 

 among the fishing boats which lay at anchor, for there was no 

 wind. It was an easy matter to catch some of these fish with 



