Pike-Fishing in the Black Forest. 29 



mere pleasure of capturing fishes; for when 

 they are in an unfavourable humour as regards 

 the angler, it is probable that nature is visible 

 in her most attractive forms. 



Before we had finished our breakfast next 

 day, Herr Ganter appeared in the Speise 

 Saal with an invitation to accompany him 

 on the lake. The day was overcast, and the 

 surface of the lake was ruffled by a brisk 

 breeze. As we went off to the boat, I could 

 not prevent a laugh to myself at the comical 

 appearance of my host. His short little body 

 was arrayed in a grey suit, bound with green. 

 His little felt hat was pulled well down over 

 his nose, which was ruddy with exposure to 

 the sun and wind. His small eyes twinkled 

 behind a large pair of spectacles, and a perpet- 

 ual laugh was on his face. A rod and a reel 

 he despised, but used a large wooden winch 

 and a large flat steel artificial bait, made by 

 Hearder of Plymouth the relic, probably, of 

 some other English visitor. English fishing- 

 tackle is always the envy of foreigners. More 

 than once I have had offers both for rods and 

 tackle, at prices which would have been dis- 

 tinctly remunerative. 



