INTRODUCTION n 



does * Red Spinner ' mean ? " by ladies as well as 

 gentlemen, told me how well I had kept the promise 

 to the good Richard Gowing when those articles were 

 arranged. 



Journalism proper, now and henceforth for the rest 

 of my life claimed me. It became my profession in 

 fact ; but it was always fishing that kept the longing 

 eye turned towards the waterside. Somehow for a 

 time the water was all round me, but I had not the 

 means of learning the art at that time, nor of practis- 

 ing it. Somehow I was always being reminded that 

 the fishing rod was to obtain the mastery by and by, 

 but I had to wait a long while for the opportunity. At 

 first I was in what may be called a good fishing country, 

 but I seemed to have no say in it. I had no rod ; no 

 fisheries were open. Indeed, it was journalism that 

 gripped me, and in those early days I followed the 

 mastership of it very closely, for there was so much to 

 learn, as I shall be able, I hope, to explain when any 

 reminiscences that I am able to write call for it. That 

 longing must meanwhile be kept open for some years 

 to come. 



Now, however, came the time when, as I have always 

 considered, my real life began. It was my fate to be 

 appointed representative of the Lymington Chronicle 

 in 1858, when I was duly installed in its office in that 

 town, engaged to look after the local news, the adver- 

 tisements, the circulation ; and especially it was my 

 business to see that not a single paragraph was ever 

 missing from the budget which I duly sent to the head 

 office in Poole at the end of every week. But still there 

 was no fishing, save in the river, where bass came 

 occasionally to my hook in the tidal portions ; and one 

 of six pounds I remember as the best that came to 

 me on the hand line. There was some talk once of a 



