SPORT-SPOILERS 15 



day on which he reckons to have sport, some 

 energetic person higher up the river elects to cut 

 his weeds, wash his sheep, or indulge in some 

 such occupation, and on reaching the river, ere 

 he has had time perhaps to make his first cast, 

 to the fisherman's dismay, down come weeds or 

 foul water, and the day's sport, on which he had 

 so fondly reckoned, is knocked on the head. In 

 Hampshire and Wiltshire, perhaps the two very 

 best counties in all Britain for trout, such disappoint- 

 ments are very frequent. To the man who lives 

 on or near to a river these contretemps do not so 

 much matter ; but if perchance a friend, to whom 

 a day's fishing is a rare treat, happens to be his 

 guest, and he is anxious to show the latter all the 

 sport he can, disappointment is peculiarly dis- 

 tressing. I fear that on such occasions one needs 

 all one's Christian charity, and anger, hatred, and 

 every evil feeling wage war against forbearance. 

 There is nothing for it but to reel up and go 

 home. 



I always feel sorry for those who, being keen 

 sportsmen, and who but very rarely get an oppor- 

 tunity of indulging in their favourite sport, have 

 all their hopes dashed by reason of impossible 

 weather, or some such calamity as the foregoing. 

 The tackle so carefully got together, and looked 

 over so many times before the arrival of the all 

 too scanty holiday, is useless. The anticipation 



