INTRODUCTION 



THE half a dozen or so of Angling books which stand 

 to my name were headed by Waterside Sketches, and 

 this is really and truly a continuation, if not the end, 

 of the series. They were inspired by my old friend 

 Richard Gowing, at the Whitefriars Club, of which he 

 was for many years the well-remembered honorary 

 secretary, and of which I still have the grateful pride of 

 being entitled to the name of father. 



Gowing had become editor of the Gentleman's Maga- 

 zine in 1874, and in his sturdy efforts to give it new 

 life he looked round amongst the youngsters who 

 seemed likely to serve him. The result was that he 

 invited me to try my hand at something. He had 

 read my Notable Shipwrecks, which the house of Cassells 

 was at that time bringing out, and said that its author, 

 known to the public as " Uncle Hardy " only, ought to 

 be able to offer a suggestion. 



The Stoke Newington reservoirs had about that time 

 given me some good sport with pike, large perch, chub, 

 and tench, and I had long been an angling enthusiast. 

 Out of the fullness of my heart I spoke. I told him that 

 fishing was my best subject ; that if he would accept a 

 series of contributions the direct object of which was 

 to make Angling articles as interesting to non-anglers 

 as to anglers themselves, I would be his man. 



Verily I would not wonder if, in showing how botany, 



