166 FISHING IN EDEN 



would be made to a striking characteristic such as 

 the great, motionless eyes. The intensity of boyish 

 curiosity always pleased " Bob," and drew him into 

 our little group. " Aye," he would say, in the broad 

 Westmorland dialect that fitted his musical voice 

 so well, " troot niwer ga to sleep or shut their ees. 

 They haven't any eyelids like ye blinken lads. 

 They've ees summat like Jim Southard's. Jim's 

 stiddy, wide oppen stare allus reminds me o' fishes 

 ees. They niwer wink, nea, not in t' breetest sun- 

 leet. Ye can't tell what they're thinken about from 

 their ees; whether they're pleased wi' what yer 

 showen them or not. When ye'y, gitten them oot o' 

 t' watter the glassy stare doesn't change." 



We were sometimes a noisy crew, and often 

 wondered whether the fish could hear us laughing 

 and talking. If they happened, occasionally, to be 

 particularly shy we became fearful that they were 

 being scared by the noise of our voices, and used to 

 tell one another to " shut up." Then " Bob " would, 

 as likely as not, step in. " Hear! they've laal use 

 for hearing in t' watter. It's varra quiet doon below 

 where they live. Ye can depend on't if they could 

 hear they'd hev concerts in t' spring like t' birds. 

 They're as happy in ther oan quiet way as t' larks 

 when t' winter's ower. Nay, nay, ye needn't worry 

 aboot t' noise ye mak; they can naither hear nor 



