CHAPTER VIII 



CLEAR WATER WORM FISHING 



THE first Jubilee year 1887 was extraordinarily 

 dry. From the end of May, onwards for three 

 months, hardly any rain fell. That was the year 

 of an exceptionally long holiday for me, beginning 

 about the middle of June. 



On the evening of the Jubilee day large bonfires 

 were lit on all the old beacon-tops of the Cumbrian 

 Hills and Pennine Fells. The bonfire on the top 

 of Cross Fell, the highest point of the Pennine 

 Chain, set Lord Hothfield's grouse moors ablaze, 

 and an immense area of heather was burnt off. 

 Everything was as dry as tinder, and even the 

 bracken on the fells paled and withered long before 

 its usual time. 



The Eden could be crossed in hitherto unwade- 

 able places. In getting into the river and coming 

 out one had to be careful not to step on wasps' 

 nests. We used to rob these with cyanide of 



potassium, and the rounds of comb taken were often 



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