196 WOODLANDERS AND FIELD FOLK 



carries his game upon him. This he secretes in 

 stacks and ricks and disused farm buildings until 

 such time as it may be safely sent for. Country 

 carriers, early morning milk-carts and women are 

 all employed in getting fish into town. In this the 

 women are more successful. Sometimes they may 

 be seen labouring under a heavy load carried in a 

 sack, with faggots and rotten sticks protruding 

 from the mouth; or again with a large basket 

 innocently covered with crisp green cresses which 

 effectually hide the bright silvery fish beneath. 



The methods of the fish poacher are many. The 

 chances of success, too, are greatly in his favour, for 

 he works silently and always in the night. He 

 walks abroad during the day and makes mental notes 

 of men and fish. He knows the beats of the watchers 

 and has the waterside, as it were, by heart. He 

 can work as well in the dark as in the light, and this 

 is essential to his silent trade. During summer and 

 when the water becomes low the fish congregate in 

 deep " dubs." This they do for protection, and if 

 overhung with trees there is always here abundance 

 of food. If a poacher intends to net a " dub," 

 he carefully examines every inch of its bottom 

 beforehand. If it has been thorned, he carefully 

 removes these small thorned bushes with stones 

 attached, which have been thrown in by the watchers 

 to entangle the poachers' nets and so allow the fish 



