WATERS OF YOUTH 7 



a park-like meadow. The water was rectangular in 

 shape, and probably not more than fifty yards long, 

 though to me it seemed immense. But the most 

 noticeable thing about it, even to a small boy thinking 

 of fish, was the magnificent display of rhododendrons, 

 whose great green leaves and glowing petals formed 

 almost a wall round the banks. In the gaps grew long 

 meadow grass, and the whole scene was vivid with life, 

 for butterflies and lesser insects were everywhere. The 

 water was of a greenish quality and looked deep, and I 

 remember thinking that such a big pond, with such big 

 flowers round it, must hold very big fish. But on that 

 occasion I saw nothing, though the reverend lord of the 

 soil, whom, despite a cynical smile from the authorities, 

 I ventured to question on the subject, said that there 

 were fish there, and that I might catch them next time 

 if I liked. I was never able to try, alas ! for my horse- 

 manship did not warrant my carrying a rod as well as a 

 crop, but on the second visit I saw a fish. It was 

 unlike any fish that I see nowadays, being long and 

 green, and moving like a ghost. I have been wonder- 

 ing ever since what it was. 



Besides these ponds, there were two brooks, feeders 

 of the small river. One contained loaches of noble 

 size, but very difficult to catch, because the water was 

 rather deep. To take these agile fish in Nature's way 

 which was our way one ought to be able to stand 

 in the bed of the stream, and, stooping, to make a trap 

 of one's two hands, into which a fish would dart when 

 judiciously stirred from under its stone. We had not 

 read " Lorna Doone " in those days, so the idea of a 

 loach-spear never occurred to us. 



