LTNE-FISHING. 33 



from a grand sporting expedition. He grew quite 

 animated in telling me how he had managed to land 

 an enormous trout, which had called for the exercise 

 of all his skill, and which he had presented to Mrs. 

 Slocum, the excellent hostess of the Haarlem inn. 



I learnt at Haarlem that Dan Tucker was the 

 favourite of the village and the oracle of all the tap- 

 rooms round, charming his audiences by his stories 

 of their country's glory, and by the songs which he 

 sang with a true and sympathetic voice. He was also 

 in great request at some of the villas of the wealthier 

 merchants, where, by way of recompense for lessons 

 in angling given to the lads, he was often invited to 

 take his seat at the table and enjoy a glass of good 

 port or sherry. 



Friend Dan led a life free from trouble, happy and 

 calm. When the weather was fair, he lived from 

 morn till night on the banks of the neighbouring 

 streams and rivers ; and in winter he was fully occu- 

 pied in preparing, by the side of his coal fire, his 

 fishing-tackle for the coming season, and in invent- 

 ing new kinds of flies calculated to tempt the 

 craftiest trout. 



Every Sunday, Dan went to Haarlem Church, but 

 he usually fell asleep during the sermon of the vene- 

 rable pastor, who pardoned him, however, for this 

 little breach of decorum, for he respected this old 

 relic of the War of Independence. Dan had bar- 

 gained with him to be buried under the grass-covered 



