A CONTRAST IN THAMES ANGLING 115 



simply gulped at the worms and went off with them 

 at once, and the hook had to be removed sometimes 

 with a disgorger. In the very midst of the sport I 

 thought I would make an experiment in the matter 

 of baits. I had my own box of gentles. One, I sup- 

 pose, never goes afloat or engages in any bottom fishing 

 whatever without this reserve, if the maggots are in 

 season. Hawkins also happened to have a small 

 supply of stale greaves. 



" Don't do it, mister ! " Hawkins pleaded pathetically, 

 when he saw me stringing on a bunch of gentles. " Leave 

 well alone, mister ! You carn't better the business, 

 and you may change the luck if you don't stick to the 

 lobs." 



But I was obstinate, and was very glad that I tried 

 the experiment. It was not the first time I had dis- 

 covered that when the fish are really " on " they do 

 not distinguish much between this and that bait. Even 

 in fly fishing I have successfully tried the experiment, 

 during a mad rise, of putting on a fly that was the 

 most opposite I could find to what was on the water. 

 The barbel took the gentles as freely as worms, and 

 greaves as freely as gentles, but I noticed that the fish 

 were smaller. 



It will be concluded that our prowess on this occa- 

 sion came somewhat into the slaughter zone. So at 

 any rate it occurred to one of us as we landed, and in 

 the grey mist spreading over land and water, saw the 

 dead fish laid out decently and in order upon the grass. 

 There were two dozen and one barbel, the largest 7 Ib. 

 and the smallest 3 Ib., the average being about 4 Ib. 

 With a few accidental dace and chub thrown in, there 

 would therefore be over a solid hundredweight of fish. 

 Was this a thing to be proud of ? Though I ask the 

 question I do not answer it myself. We had enjoyed 



