THOUGHTS ON BIG FISH 161 



we sought the hospitality of a cottage standing a 

 little back from the road in a clump of trees and there 

 procured a simple meal. It proved to be one of 

 the lodges of some big estate, and after eating we 

 trespassed a little, because I had seen the glint of 

 water through the trees and I can never resist 

 looking at water. It proved to be the narrow end 

 of a large lake, and there on its bank we sat us down 

 to smoke and digest for a little before going on our 

 way. 



Presently we became aware of several large fish 

 which sailed lazily in and out of a sort of weedrack 

 or grating which crossed the water. " What are 

 those?" asked my friend. "Carp," I said 

 promptly, for they were too big to be anything else, 

 though they were too far off to be clearly dis- 

 tinguished. Presently, however, their wanderings 

 gradually brought them nearer, and to my astonish- 

 ment I perceived that if they were carp they had 

 miraculously acquired adipose fins. Of course they 

 were trout, and they were certainly the most dis- 

 tinguished company for average size that I have 

 ever seen in my life. The smallest must have been 

 over three pounds and the biggest may well have 

 been six or seven pounds. I suppose there were 

 eight or ten of them in view. I have often 

 wondered since whether they were a fair sample 

 of the stock in that lake, and speculated what, in 



