50 



AUTUMN NORFOLK TKOUTING. 



The land oi tlie Brouds is the paradise of the hottom 

 fisherman, and there are very few south of England anglers 

 aware of the fact that several excellent trout streams exist 

 in the Eastern counties. I recentl}* spent a few days on the 

 " Wensum," and there had capital sport, iji spite of the 

 weather being both wet and boisterous. "Wensum? Where 

 on earth is the Wensum ? — never heard of it before !" 

 These will no doubt be remarks which the foregoing sen- 

 tence will provoke amongst those slayers of trout who are 

 ever on the look-out for fresh fields and pastures new. 

 AVhether or not any of this water is open to the pul)lic, I 

 am not in a position to state, but the length of river fished 

 by myself and friend is very strictly preserved, and it has 

 had a considerable amount of money and labour ex})ended 

 upon re-stocking it with trout. We left the train at the 

 nearest point, and a drive of some eight or ten miles landed 

 us at a quaint little village, with a straggling old inn, 

 capable of housing the scanty population of the whole 

 parish. A friendly "agent in advance" had secured us 

 quarters in this quiet hostelry, but its internal appearance 

 was not luxurious- — -sanded floors, spotless deal tables, and 

 well-scrubbed wooden forms, being the barrack-likf furni- 

 tuie of the " sitting-room " into which we were ushered. 

 But those of us who have fished all over the world, out of 

 sheer love of the sport, make light of domestic discomforts 

 where fish are to be caught, and so we entered into our new 

 quarters with all the cheerfulness of a Mark Tapley. We 

 penetrated to our bedrooms, up creaky old stairs, and along 

 a corridor, both bare of carpet, and redolent of apples, 

 onions, and pumpkins, w^hicli it appears to l)e the custom of 

 this country to store in the upper chambers. A short 

 truckle bed is not an ideal couch for a man of 5 ft. 10 in., 



