XIV 

 THE CHANCE ENCOUNTER 



WHETHER one is fishing or not, when 

 in a part of country hitherto un- 

 visited, one is sure to come across 

 matters of interest. The local colour 

 of new places is so vivid to the stranger that he 

 finds it hard to realize that dullness is to be found 

 there as elsewhere. To him the everyday life of 

 the people is attractive, there is history to be 

 related of town or village, and glorious open-air 

 country is at hand. Perhaps most fascinating is 

 the prospect of a happy chance meeting. The man 

 to whom human nature appeals is always having 

 chance meetings, which may ripen into lifelong 

 friendships. 



I shall ever be grateful to the chance meeting 

 which gave me the acquaintance of the Major who 

 figures so prominently in these pages. We came 

 across each other casually atDulverton, exchanged 

 a few words two or three times, and met just once 

 on the river bank. I was greatly interested in 

 his enormous album containing photographs, 

 which he himself had taken : it was obvious he 

 had been in many parts of the world. Rivers at 



