FISHES AlsD PISHING. 277 



with the sound of his money ;" the gentleman then 

 walked away^along Gerrard Street. M. B. called 

 one of his waiters to give the poor man some cold 

 meat, but before it could be brought, a person came 

 in haste to M. B., describing the gentleman who had 

 acted as judge ; and being informed the route he took, 

 followed, arrested his further progress, and brought 

 him back past the cafe. He proved to be a lunatic 

 who had escaped from his private keeper ."^ 



I was walking in the meadow by the Horse and 

 Groom, Lea Bridge, on the Essex side, one Sunday 

 afternoon, having gone thither merely for the advan- 

 tage of the fresh air, but not to angle. On the oppo- 

 site side sat an angler, patiently watching the motion 

 of his float ; a person who appeared to be an acquaint- 

 ance, and who was near me, called to the angler, and 

 asked how long he had been there ; the angler replied, 

 "Ever since one this morning ; I came down last night 

 to bait this place, and I was here so early for fear any 

 one else should take it." On being asked by his friend 

 what sport he had had, he stooped down, pulled up 

 a piece of twine, attached to which was a carp, ap- 

 parently about five pounds weight, by one end of the 

 twine being passed through the fish's mouth and 

 brought out at his gills, in order to keep it alive ; 



* There have been several versions of this occurrence pub- 

 lished, but this I believe to be the true one. 



