A PRELIMINARY CAST. 



FEEL that whatever I write respecting this- 

 book must be of the nature of an excuse^ 

 excuse for its lack of comprehensiveness in 

 that it narrates the taking of but certain- 

 kinds of fish, excuse for its literary frailty, 

 and lastly, yet most needed, excuse for its- 

 publication at all. And, am I painfully con- 

 scious, I have no excuse to offer. Therefore 

 I must leave it with all its imperfections and 

 shortcomings to the reader's kindly charity,, 

 pleading in part extenuation, even as the maid- 

 servant in Mr. Midshipman Easy, " please, it's 

 a very little one." 



Should, however, a perusal of its pages 

 bring some slight sense of pleasure to any 

 reader, or help him to participate in the keen 

 enjoyment that has been mine in the days that 

 I record, then I am content. 



I am indebted to the proprietor of The 



