102 ON SURREY HILLS. 



have visited often ; sometimes with sketch-book in 

 hand, but far oftener with the rod, for it was once a 

 perfect resort for the angler. A trout stream ran 

 there, through a moor covered with all kinds of moor- 

 land vegetation. Oh the joy of that pure trout 

 stream, when one had a pliant rod and the finest 

 line that it was possible to procure ! The fish were 

 not large ; it was a rare thing to get one over a 

 pound, and most of them were only half that weight. 

 But such beauties ! Plump and well shaped, gold 

 and white, with crimson spots ; and when hooked, as 

 mettlesome as game-cocks. Ten feet or so the 

 stream was at the widest parts, in others only three 

 or four ; the sides in many places were covered in 

 with low alder and willow brush ; and standing in the 

 clear water, or dip, dip, dipping into it, were the 

 sedges. Old alder and willow stumps had rotted 

 there, and over them the river ran in miniature water- 

 falls and whirlpools. About these stumps were the 

 favourite holds for trout ; there the water was deep. 

 When such fish as minnows wriggled over, or insects 

 dropped off the sedges, the little swirl carried them 

 round to the sides, where the trout made short work 

 of them. 



