PIKE-FISHING ON THE FROME. 103 



catcs the line as it passes through the rings to and 

 fro, and effectually prevents its freezing. Snow 

 and frost do certainly play havoc with fishing ; but 

 I have on some occasions had excellent sport in the 

 keenest weather, when the days were bright and 

 with a little wind blowing. 



Some winters ago, I fished the Frome with the 

 late Mr. J. P. Wheclclon, when the quieter parts of 

 the river and its backwaters were frozen over, but 

 in the main channel thick slabs of ice were hurrying 

 along the swift-flowing current towards Pool 

 Harbour. We fished close up to the land-locked 

 ice, and our floats would again and again dis- 

 appear under the edge of it, as hungered into 

 madness, some plunging pike seized our livebaits, 

 perhaps to rush out among the ice-floes, when it 

 required all our skill to play and secure the fish. 

 At other times, our lines would be severed by the 

 sharp edges of the ice, and the fish escaped ; but 

 we had grand sport, and killed many big fish in 

 spite of the bitter weather. My friend graphically 

 described our experience in The Sportsman of 

 January loth, 1894. 



"In a far-off western county, as Jardine and I 

 conned over each day's fishing, Death stalked 

 rampant with such mercilessly cruel grip in his 

 strong bony hands and throttling fingers as choked 

 and crushed the warm breath of life from man's 

 weak frame, as also in countless numbers and in- 

 stances from the hardier birds and wild animals 

 which could not live and exist with no better 

 shelter than the open woods and bleak fields could 

 supply. 



" Two tramps were found locked together in one 

 another's arms for warmth, yet frozen to death in 



