THREE FISHERS, AND SOME BIG FISH 145 



74 Ib. as weighed at Newburgh, and 70 Ib. in London 

 the next day.' Mr. Frank Buckland took a cast of 

 it, and I believe it may still be seen in his museum 

 at South Kensington. This evidence of identity is 

 not conclusive : but very probably it was the very 

 fish which escaped after so gallant a fight. 



The Bishop tells me that he has often discussed 

 with sportsmen the question of gaffing the fish by 

 drawing him up to the blaze. ' At the time, I thought 

 it unfair to the fish to entertain my boatman's sug- 

 gestion, and I think so still' (December 1897), 'but 

 I have never yet come across a man of sporting ex- 

 perience who has not said he would certainly have 

 gaffed the fish by using the lantern to attract him.' 



In my own opinion, the forbearance of the tired 

 angler was sportsmanlike in the highest degree, but 



Video meliora, proboque 

 Deteriora sequor, 



and I do not think that if I had been in his position 

 I should have resisted the temptation. In another 

 place a fish, caught after a very prolonged fight, was 

 taken in the end by a most ingenious contrivance, 

 which some would consider unfair, but which I think 

 thoroughly justifiable under the circumstances. Mr. 

 Frederick Fowler, brother of Sir John Fowler of 

 Braemore, hooked a fish in the Lynn pool on the 



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