A HUNDRED ANGLERS. 55 



nearly a circle) small columns of blue smoke 

 curling upwards, which, on approaching 

 nearer, I found to arise from the hundred en- 

 thusiastic anglers. Every man Jack of them 

 had a pipe in his mouth, and was smoking 

 away as if in obedience to a law of his mas- 

 ter, the venerable Izaak Walton. 



In an army of heroes there is always one 

 superlative hero who comes to the front. In 

 Osterley Park the hero of the day commenced 

 warlike operations against the finny tribe at 

 six o'clock in the morning and what a 

 morning it was ! the rain fell continuously, 

 and for the most part in torrents, up to 

 twelve o'clock ; after that time the sun burst 

 forth gloriously, and the anglers were re- 

 warded for the drenching toils of the morn- 

 ing by a splendid afternoon. 



I saw our special hero at three o'clock in- 

 tently watching for a nibble on the identical 

 spot he had occupied from early morning at 

 that time his perseverance had been rewarded 

 by two, perhaps three, small roach running 

 three or four inches in length, and of propor- 

 tionate girth ; when I left the scene of his ex- 

 ploits he was still cheerfully labouring away, 

 and he evidently meant to continue till the 

 shades of evening closed over him ; indeed, 

 it would not surprise me to learn that he re- 



