194 FISHES I HAVE KNOWN 



take boat, and angle just above bridge, no doubt 

 making good baskets of roach and barbel. In 

 those days there was Thames salmon that 

 ascended the river as far as Teddington. But 

 as the stream became foul, salmon grew scarcer 

 and scarcer, until in the Georgian era it was 

 reported, as a very unusual circumstance, that 

 six salmon had been netted off Cheyne Walk, 

 Chelsea. 



Chelsea Reach was then a favourite pitch for 

 anglers, one enthusiast adopting the singular 

 device of attaching a little bell to his float, so 

 that when in his boat at night he could be made 

 aware of a nibble from eel or other night-feeding 

 fish. 



Next, the angler's resort shifted to Putney, 

 where, at the old " Star and Garter," merry parties 

 used to foregather to banquet on whitebait, and 

 water-souche made from flounders caught near the 

 bridge. They are still occasionally captured, and, 

 at certain time, I have seen quantities of roach 

 swarming up the muddy creeks, but out of con- 

 dition, with white fungus growth on their scales. 



The factories at Hammersmith pollute the 

 water, and there is no fishing until Richmond 

 and Twickenham are reached. But London 

 anglers, who revel in the delight of a quiet 



