26 1HB TROUT 



extraordinary sport might have continued I cannot pretend to say, 

 for it was doomed to be now interrupted by the approach of a per- 

 sonage whose soiled cotton velvet jacket, double damnable smalls, 

 leathern continuations and quarter boots, added to his impor- 

 tant air and gait, bespoke beyond doubt the poacher of former days 

 metamorphosed into the game keeper for the time being, who in- 

 formed me I was on the wrong side of the water, and that " not 

 nobody without my lady's leave was let to fish in that ere meddey," 

 whose title having no right to dispute, I was compelled rather un- 

 willingly to retrace my steps and again recross the river, where I 

 found my comrade, who though he had been fishing as assiduously 

 as ever, since I had parted with him, had not had a single rise ; 

 nor did either of us though we toiled away for some considerable 

 time still in the hope the fish would feed some time of the day 

 or other obtain & single rise, and but for the lucky chance I 

 accidentally stumbled upon I should have caught nothing, where- 

 as in reality I had taken a very pretty dish of trout. I remarked 

 when they were taken out and displayed how beautiful they appear- 

 ed, and also that my companion was seized with that peculiar kind 

 of cough I mentioned cousin Dick was subject to when the trout 

 I first captured was mentioned. It was in fact cousin Dick himself, 

 then grown up into manhood and the father of a family ; but cou- 

 sin Dick still for all that. 



I mention the above anecdote, also, for the purpose of shewing 

 what chances an angler may cast aside by adhering to obsti- 

 nate prejudices. But for the chance that then threw itself in my 

 way, I should never have dreamt of trying a worm when the May fly 

 was up, but which, from seeing the fish in the places I did when that 

 fly was so strong upon the water on the main river, at vice shewed 

 me the May fly was not the kind of food they were then in search 

 of, and therefore such a bait would be very unlikely to attract them, 

 and that to stand any chance I must use the same kind of food 

 they had ventured so far in search of, and which I presumed to be 

 worms as well as minnows. 



And now I begin to fear my readers may have become somewhat 

 impatient that I have so long delayed furnishing any more practical 

 instructions, shewing how the trout is to be caught ; a subject on 

 which it is far more easy to lay down rules, than to insure their 

 being actually carried into effect. For let the theoretical knowledge 

 in the science of angling be what it may, practice alone can render 



