EELS AND LAMPERNES. 2G3 



the clay, when, at the first attempt, I also struck 

 that fish, and landed it upon the bank by its 

 comrade. Deeming that Lord Malmesbury, on 

 whose fishery this capture took place, would be 

 more abstemious in his diet than England's glutton 

 king, or had a safer cook, I sent the two fine 

 lampreys at once to him, as a trophy from his river, 

 and one very seldom obtained. The united weight 

 of these two fish was over three pounds. 



To vary this somewhat trite discourse upon 

 fishes, in passing, I will narrate my first act in 

 conservation of manorial rights and rivers. There 

 is at Cranford, in Middlesex, a widened pool in 

 the course of the Crane, near the bridge that 

 spans the little stream, and carries over it the 

 great high road. Though very young, and not 

 a strong boy of my age, I had, when about 

 twelve years old, taken upon myself to act as 

 a conservator of the manor, and however I might 

 have failed in muscular power, my resolution 

 was to prevent all aggression and infraction of 

 my mother's jointure rights. Strolling down one 

 sunny Sunday afternoon in summer, just as I 

 had surmounted what was then called '' Little 

 Common Bridge," and had come into full view 



