AUSTRALIAN FISHES 131 



which, as a rule, is a charming combination of 

 mountain, valley, hill and dale, high forests, rich 

 pastures, open plains, and swift, sparkling streams. 



We weighed anchor and drifted, rather than 

 sailed, a short distance, guided by certain land- 

 marks. Then we anchored. Casting out a 

 quantity of burley, we threw in our lines, and 

 the fun began, as trumpeters always go about 

 in troops, and, like perch, are bold biters. Before 

 my lead could touch the bottom I was fast into a 

 fish which turned out to be the genuine article, 

 about twelve or fifteen pounds weight. " Mind the 

 spines ! " cried out the skipper. " Keep your burley 

 going!" And following his last advice liberally I 

 soon had a school round my line, for I kept them 

 there as did my companion. " Mind you don't let 

 one go, or we shall lose the lot," said the skipper, 

 and at that moment just as I had a fish on the sur- 

 face, safely as I thought, it broke away, and, tearing 

 madly downwards, frightened the school off and 

 spoilt our sport. So we weighed anchor and tried 

 another spot, with such success that they only 

 ceased to bite when there were none left. 



I was never so tired in my life as that evening 

 when I got home ; but a glorious bath, and a 

 dinner graced by the presence of a magnificent 

 fifteen pound trumpeter made sufficient amends. 



