152 LONDON ANGLER'S BOOK, 



In feeling up the holes for the fish, the otter had seized his 

 hand, and in the agony of the moment he seemed to forget that 

 the same shot which killed his enemy might probably deprive him 

 of life also ; however, Jack did shoot, and killed the otter, with- 

 out doing his friend the least injury, this man is now living in 

 the neighbourhood. 



In the neighbourhood of Dorking and Reigate 

 there is good fishing for Perch, Tench, Dace, Jack, & 

 Roach, and I have heard that there are Trout, but 

 have never taken any. The character of this river is 

 very curious, in some places it is deep & still, with very 

 high overhanging banks, and in others rapid, and 

 easily forded ; in the neighbourhood of Boxhill it is, 

 *n many places, quite still in summer, the above ground 

 current being entirely stopped ; the Mole then grubs its 

 way under Boxhill, the village of Mickleham, and 

 re-appears about a quarter of a mile above Leatherhead 

 bridge ; near Mickleham there are what are called by 

 the country people, swallows, and in truth they are so 

 as they swallow up every appearance of a running 

 stream ; the water draining away entirely from these 

 holes, vast quantities of fish are taken from the mud 

 and flat slating 1 stone which irregularly compose the 

 bed of the river, between the cavities of which the 

 water drains off; the villagers watch the abatement 

 of the current, and when the stream ceases to run, the 

 water soon disappears through the bottom of the holes, 

 and then a scramble for the fish commences (" first 

 come, first served," but often might overcomes right.) 



At Leatherhead bridge the Mole is again a consi- 

 derable stream, and in this neighbourhood are many 



