ON THE FORDS OF TEME 109 



there was much to learn, much was learnt, about 

 the grayling, it was dry fly that was " the thing." 



Lord Grey, in his "Fly Fishing," says, " In 

 fact the fly must float as if it were buoyant, 

 cheerful and in the best of spirits natural flies 

 having the appearance of being very frivolous 

 and light-hearted." This exactly expresses how 

 both hackled and winged patterns took my eye. 



In the same book the author has, of course, 

 much more to say about dry-fly fishing, and he 

 says it not only with knowledge and wisdom but 

 with irresistible charm. As an Englishman, I 

 pay my respectful and grateful homage to that 

 great man for all and it is very much ! that he 

 has done for England and our Empire ; as a 

 fisherman one who loves fishing may I be 

 allowed to thank him for that phrase about the dry 

 fly, ll very frivolous and light-hearted " ? As a 

 matter of fact, on the Teme, when the winged 

 dry fly, with wings so primly cocked, sailed 

 saucily along, the mere spectacle used to give me 

 pure, wholesome fun. A brother angler tells me 

 that the fat complacency of a big red pike float 

 affects him in the same way. So I am not singular 

 in the matter. 



When the visitor from Stroud had to go, so 

 good had been his company that I telt again the 

 pangs of loneliness. And then, on the Saturday 

 afternoon, as 1 was looking out ot my bedroom 

 window, whence I could get a good view of 

 the river, whom should I see coming on his 



