THE ANGLER'S SOUVENIR. 



25! 



paste coloured red with Judson's dye. One seemed 

 to be as efficacious as the other, but a rather singular 

 circumstance happened to one of the paste fishers. 

 He was a very big, portly man, and he caught 

 nothing but the smallest fish. While the rest of 

 us were pulling out fine fellows of two and three 

 pounds in weight, he continued catching tiny ones, 

 not six inches long. He lost his temper some- 

 what at last, and it certainly was rather trying, 

 especially as his companions were proficients in the 

 art of chaff. Not a minute elapsed without one or 

 other of us having a bite. And then, if it happened 

 to be a good-sized fish, it was held at the top of the 

 water, while a landing-net was slipped under it. 

 Some of the larger ones gave a few vigorous dashes, 

 but as a rule they gave but little play. 



We had a cloth in which to hold the fish while 

 we took the hook out ; but notwithstanding this 

 precaution, we were soon covered with the white, 

 sticky slime which covers the bream as with a 

 garment. We soon gave up counting the fish we 

 caught ; and we should scarcely be believed, out of 

 Norfolk, if we gave the estimated number and 

 weight we ultimately caught. 



In itself, bream-fishing is the most unrcmantic 

 kind of sport, but the surroundings gave it an 

 adventitious charm. The river was broad and 

 clear, the green flags and reeds bowed in the wind 

 with a pleasant sighing ; the great red valerian grew 

 on the bank, and scented the air with its agreeable 



