THE PIKE. 57 



THE PIKE. 



In these days of broad-cloth and "financing," 

 it seems strange that this truculent, greedy 

 tyrant of the fresh waters should have been 

 selected (perhaps, however, merely in " canting 

 heraldry") for the cognisance, and adopted under 

 its various synonyms as a surname, for many old 

 families of good repute. The "Peakes" still 

 flourish in Derbyshire ; the Geddes, once a war- 

 like race, are still numerous in the Lothians ; the 

 Broughams bear the " three white luces/' and they, 

 we know, were "an ancient coat" in the days of 

 Shakespeare. In the old time, however, might 

 made right, and the rough of mood and ready of 

 hand ruled the vassals of the land. 



" Little reck'd they of a tame liege lord." 



And the attributes of the pike courage, strength, 

 and swiftness were arrogated to themselves by 

 the noble and the chivalrous. 



No fish is more common, or more hardy, than 

 the pike. He inhabits alike stagnant pools, 

 ponds, lakes, and streams comparatively rapid, like 

 the Avon or the Trent. The still waters, how- 

 ever, are essentially his habitat ; and though fre- 

 quently found at the tail of a rapid, he affects 



