ANGLING THAT "PREACHETH PATIENCE" 17 



on the walls ; they were stunning. And so we 

 passed the time till lunch. At that time I expect 

 the Major. By then I indulge the hope that the 

 wind will have whistled itself away that those 

 demons up above will have ceased cutting weeds. 

 They must know I am here ; but if they think 

 they are disturbing my equanimity they are mis- 

 taken I rather like it ! My good hostess always 

 very indulgent to me insists on my having a fire, 

 and so, in my comfortable arm-chair, I will read 

 myself to sleep, lulled thereto by the howling, 

 wintry wind outside. 



The afternoon proved no better for angling 

 purposes, for the river was still green with fresh- 

 cut weeds. After much labour and intricate cast- 

 ing whenever we could see a rise in spaces between 

 the floating weeds, we only got two brace equally 

 divided between us and so we finished the week. 



Sunday. A dies non as to fishing, alternated 

 between heavy rain and bright sunshine, thunder 

 and lightning. 



Monday morning. Gloomy and dull, north- 

 easterly wind blowing down stream ; water whitish, 

 being thick with chalk from heavy rains above. 

 Of course there was no rise. The Major gave 

 it up at once, and went home for his pike rod. 

 I sat under the pub. tree, and rejoiced over my 

 luck. Weeds on Saturday; chalk soup on Mon- 

 day. Swallows, skimming in pursuit of an imper- 

 ceptible insect, left nothing to tempt a fish to 

 rise. It is simply delightful sitting here, watching 



c 



