THE JOLLY ANGLER. 17 



washed out into the other parts by the floods in winter. 

 It empties itself into the Thames at Brentford Bridge. 



THE SERPENTINE. 



Here, as well as in the other Waters in the Parks, you 

 will find large Carp, Tench, Perch, Roach, Dace, Rud, 

 and Eels, (Roach and Eels, with now and then a Perch, 

 and once a Tench, are all the fish I ever took here,) You 

 must have permission of the Ranger to angle, but I can 

 assure you 'tis not worth the trouble of obtaining*; the 

 fish generally run small, the Carp and Tench seldom 

 being caught here, except with a net, when they want 

 to stock any other Ponds. The late Mr. Baker, the 

 Deputy Park-keeper, told me he put seventy-two brace of 

 Jack in here many years ago, but although he continually 

 laid night lines and live bait trimmers for Eels, he never 

 caught but one Pike ; there are plenty in the water, and 

 large. 



DAGENHAM BREACH, 



a large pool of water in the Marshes, near the Thames, 

 opposite the Half-way House to Gravesend, contains an 

 immense quantity of Rud, Bream, large Perch, Jack, 

 Carp, Tench, and Eels ; I here caught an Eel on a night 

 line that had swallowed three hooks ; you cannot fail in 

 catching fish, they are so plentiful, but muddy and un- 

 wholesome. This water I believe now belongs to Mr, 

 Webb, who has built a house on the spot. I once betted a 

 friend our expences that I caught more fish than he did 

 before twelve o'clock in the day. I caught 114, and lost 

 by seven fish, so you may judge the quantity it contains; 

 they were nearly all small Rud and Bream. Many of the 

 Perch here are very large; a friend of mine caught four 

 one morning that weighed 91bs. ; I have one of them 

 stuffed that weighed 2|lbs., but I have since seen larger 

 caught in the East India Docks. 



* Not that I mean to imply it is more difficult to obtain leave 

 here than at any other place. I have seldom been refused permis- 

 sion for a day's angling, when properly applied for, in any part, 

 the AVandle excepted. 



B 3 



