THE TROUT STREAM 43 



means fatigue, but it means also a good appetite 

 and a sound sleep. I have referred to the Cornish 

 trout streams because there is reason to believe 

 they are underrated by many anglers. They run 

 very low at times ; but when there is water there 

 are trout of from four to six or seven to the pound 

 to be taken with fly in scores of small, even un- 

 named, streams in that pleasant land. Some of 

 these Cornish streams are perfect trout waters in 

 their miniature way. Wandering about the country 

 on foot for a short time in the winter recently I 

 came upon some streams, hidden away in the woods 

 and among the great boulders, that set me longing 

 for the return of the fly-fishing season. After a 

 long walk in snow and bitter wind over the wilds 

 of those fine downs called Goonhilly — the serpen- 

 tine district of Cornwall and the home of that 

 scarce and beautiful heather Erica vagans — I found 

 myself by chance in a little sheltered lane near 

 Helston, by which ran the prettiest rivulet imagin- 

 able, a feeder probably of the Cober stream. 

 Hidden away deep down among the strange 

 dwarfed-looking oaks, the brambles, and the mis- 

 cellaneous and very small timber which make up a 

 Cornish lane, it might have seemed incapable of 

 holding even fish of the size of the Bade ; and yet 

 I had the delight before long of seeing several trout 

 of four or so to the pound dart up stream. It 

 would require skill in stalking and fine tackle to 

 take trout out of such water as this ; and I was not 

 surprised to hear that some good Cornish anglers 

 use only one fly on their cast. With a nine-foot 

 rod and the finest gut such angling might be quite 

 scientific. 



Inclination bids me dwell upon the beauties and 



