IN THE TEST. 1 13 



well acquainted with the haunts of the best fish, 

 and it was with a wish to hear all that he had to 

 tell us on this interesting subject that we sent for 

 him into the parlour. I never yet knew one of these 

 local fishermen who did not exaggerate the sport 

 to be had in his neighbourhood ; and we of course 

 received the flattering assurance of excellent amuse- 

 ment the next day, provided the wind kept in the 

 south. By Tom's account there were more fish in 

 the river than had ever been known before, which 

 he attributed to gentlemen having fished fairly; 

 that is having turned into the water again the 

 small fish which they had caught a hint which we 

 did not fail to attend to afterwards. Indeed it is 

 much to be regretted that small trout are not 

 always returned to the stream from which they have 

 been taken. It is a sportsmanlike act, and a kind- 

 ness to brother anglers in general. 



Tom informed us that the weir was pretty free 

 from pike, and not an otter had been seen for a 

 length of time past. On that very day he had 

 observed some good fish rising at a favourite spot 

 of his, to which he proposed to take us as soon as 

 we had finished our early breakfast. Our flies 

 were then examined and criticised by Tom, who 

 evidently thought his own much superior to those 

 we had procured in Crooked Lane. It is how- 

 ever quite impossible to follow him through all his 

 dissertations on green-gran nams, cow-lady, and oak- 



