FISHES AND FISHIKG. 249 



intended to use in the morning, in a large room, and 

 let ourselves out at any hour we pleased ; as there 

 were several parts of the river which, to be successful, 

 must be fished before, or as soon as break of day. I 

 had acquired a habit of always awaking at any hour 

 I pleased. I was to have accompanied a friend of 

 mine one afternoon, but was prevented by some cause 

 which I forget, and he went by himself. The fol- 

 lowing morning was cloudy, yet there was a moon, 

 not visible. He awoke, thought it was the day 

 breaking, could not see the hour by his watch, hur- 

 ried on his clothes, and walked quickly up to a piece 

 of water above Beddington Park. As he was going 

 round Beddington churchyard wall, he heard a slight 

 rustling noise, and at the same moment saw some- 

 thing moving, of a light colour, upon the top of a 

 tombstone ; just then the church clock struck one, a 

 horrible unearthly scream sounded from the spot 

 where the moving figure was, and away flew the 

 screamer — a screech owl! My friend had to walk 

 about for an hour and a-half, before there was a 

 chance for him to use his fly with advantage, as 

 he had shut himself out of his inn by the spring 

 lock. Some timid persons in that neighbourhood 

 have believed this churchyard to be haunted ; but my 

 friend most certainly saw the substantial gh^st which 

 had frightened many. 



