CHAPTER VI 



WlNDERMERE 



THE earliest accounts of Windermere in relation 

 to the fish it contains are those of Nicholson and 

 Burn (1777) (who quote Sir Daniel Fleming, a 

 still earlier authority), and Clarke (1787). In- 

 cidentally it may be stated that, just a century ago, 

 the value of the fishing in Windermere was 12. 

 Nicholson and Burn write as follows : 



"The large lake called Windermere-Water is in this 

 division. The islands within it are all in Windermere 

 parish. The rector hath for time immemorial had a pleasure- 

 boat upon it ; and he hath a prescription of so much a boat, 

 in lieu of all the tithe fish that are caught in the lake. 



" The lake is from one to two miles broad, and extends 

 with crooked banks for the space of about 1 3 miles, but in a 

 straight line drawn from one end to the other perhaps not 

 above 8 or 9 miles, being in some places of a wonderful 

 depth, and of a clear, pebbly bottom ; breeding good store 

 of fish, as eels, trouts (both common and grey trouts), pikes, 

 bass or perch, skellies, and particularly char, which is a fish 

 generally about nine inches long, the rareness of which fish 

 occasions many pots of chars to be sent to London and other 

 places yearly as presents. There are three sorts of chars, 

 first, the male, being large, with a red belly, but the fish 

 therefore somewhat white within, having a soft roe, and these 

 are called milting chars ; secondly, the female, being also 



F 



