6 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



accomplished in the capture of a trout of nearly three quarters of 

 a pound weight ; an event I remember almost as well as if it occur- 

 red but yesterday. The spot in which it took place, which I now 

 clearly carry in my mind's eye, was in the very brook in which 

 cousin Dick caught his first trout, and but a few yards further up, 

 where, in a narrow part of the sluggish stream, some sticks and 

 floating weeds had stretched across from bank to bank, so as for a 

 short distance to cover the surface of the water ; just above this I 

 cast in my line, when instantly away went the float, and I almost 

 as instantaneously pulled away in a contrary direction, and having 

 fortunately for myself pretty strong tackle, I succeeded before long 

 in dragging my prize to land ; but so anxious was I to make sure 

 of it, that I believe I must have carried it at least a hundred yards 

 from the water-side before I ventured to unhook it. This was 

 indisputably the largest trout that any one of us had yet taken, 

 and I feel compelled to confess I was considerably puffed up with 

 my unexpected success, attributing the lucky chance fortune had 

 favored me with to my my own superior skill in the art of angling, 

 which induced me to crow rather louder than was pleasant to the 

 ears of either brother Tom or cousin Dick, the former of whom 

 was wont in all brotherly affection to soften down my conceit with 

 sundry cuffs and boxes in the ear, which he bestowed upon me 

 with a very liberal hand ; but cousin Dick, who was of a much 

 milder disposition, only used to cough when I made any allusion 

 to this trout, as if something disagreeable had stuck in his throat, 

 which he was extremely desirous of getting rid of; for though of a 

 quiet and sober turn of mind, he possessed a considerable portion 

 of ambition, and by no means liked to be outdone in any thing or 

 by any one. But to conclude my own eventful history. The 

 season I have before alluded to passed off highly to my satisfaction, 

 and others equally satisfactory succeeded. From that time to this 

 I have devoted as much time as I could honestly spare to the 

 pursuit, which I believe I have practised in all its branches, from 

 trolling for pike to sniggling for eels, and each successive year's 

 experience has afforded me some accession of useful knowledge on 

 the subject, all of which I freely offer to such of my readers as 

 will undertake the task of perusing the following pages. 



