TRENT FISHING. 17 



of my life was spent. These canals and drains abounded 

 with small roach and perch, with a fair sprinkling of large 

 ones, and some good jack. There were not above two or 

 three rod fishermen in the whole district, and it was from 

 one of these that I received my first lessons in angling. The 

 tackle used was of a very rude and primitive character. The 

 rod was a willow stick cut from the nearest tree ; line, a few 

 yards of whipcord (the ropemaker's apprentice next door 

 spun my line from shoemakers' flax, with the same wheel 

 and bobbins w r ith which he spun cart-ropes and clothes' 

 lines) ; but oh ! the strength and thickness ; it would do for 

 the cord of a drag hook. The float was made out of a piece 

 of wood, and was of a very rude and original shape, and 

 took nearly an ounce of window lead to balance it, which 

 latter article was wrapped round a foot of coarse gimp, from 

 the end of which was suspended a hook, on which was stuck 

 a worm just dug out of the ground. Scouring worms was 

 unknown there ; and as for jointed rods, reels, fine silk lines, 

 quill floats, gut, and horsehair, my wildest dreams never 

 imagined such things. Nevertheless we could and did catch 

 fish with the rude tackle mentioned above. I have often 

 wondered if I were to revisit those scenes for a few days 

 with my improved tackle and baits, what sort of a havoc I 

 could make among those uneducated fish. Perhaps, how- 

 ever, civilization in its onward march has crept down to that 

 remote district, and the natives have got wise in their gene- 

 ration, and Nottingham rods and tackle are as well known 

 to them as they are to me. 



London anglers are proud, and justly so, of their grand 

 old river, " Father Thames," and never fail to expatiate upon 

 its natural beauty whenever or wherever occasion offers itself. 

 It may have more capabilities than our Midland river, the 

 Trent, I will allow, but still the Trent is a splendid river, 

 and has a good supply of all fresh-water fish. As the Lon- 

 doners love the Thames, so do I love the Trent. Sitting in 

 my den here at home, thinking of our grand old river, what 

 a host of pleasant memories rise up before my mental vision. 

 In fancy I seem to see it winding through the pleasant 

 meadows, and each pool and gravelly shallow has some plea- 



