i88 FISHES I HAVE KNOWN 



hours, I was down with what strongly resembled 

 cholera, and so were all those who had partaken 

 of roach. The doctor said we were suffering from 

 ptomaine poisoning, the hot weather having had 

 a malignant effect on the fish. 



In the Beult, a beautiful little tributary of the 

 Medway, were some ideal pools for bream. The 

 schoolmaster, who had for days been privately 

 ground-baiting one of these pools with lob-worms, 

 let me share the sport ; and for a few hours in 

 early morning, and again just before sunset, we 

 had good fun with them. 



The Medway is very beautiful in this part of its 

 course, winding between tree-like hedgerows and 

 willows that dip towards the water, anon by flat 

 pasturages whence the marvellous sky effects the 

 despair of artists- give the impression of unlimited 

 space, as in Holland and the Lincolnshire 

 wolds. 



Here I caught many dace, those charming little 

 fish with the liveliness of the bleak and the pre- 

 tentiousness of the chub ; while gudgeon bit 

 boldly and freely, wherever the somewhat sluggish 

 stream was at all rapid and the bottom gravelly. 

 Gudgeon, to be eaten in perfection, should be 

 cooked " on the spot," i.e., in the punt, or on some 

 cosy landing-place. I hooked several chub, too. 



