AND HOW I HAVE CAUGHT MY FISH 135 



closely intermingled to forego immemorial rights, 

 or customs, call them which you will, that enable 

 them to comply with an ordinance of their Church, 

 is asking much. 



It took my countrymen of Devon, ministers 

 and magistrates included (although French brandy 

 is not so essential to a cleanly life as fish on 

 Fridays to good Catholics), a lengthened time to 

 learn that smuggling was wrong, and it would have 

 taken longer had dealings in contraband goods 

 remained more profitable than preaching the gospel 

 and dispensing justice. 



If the practice of unfair fishing was given up, 

 a hundred times the value of what they now get 

 would soon come to them from the multitude of 

 fishers who would visit their lovely country, the 

 majority of whom would be content had they visible 

 assurance when there that the rivers and lakes 

 were fairly stocked. 



In many districts this is already fully realised, 

 and fruitful efforts are being made, not only to 

 coerce, but also to persuade ; and many a one-time 

 poacher is now either a gillie or a watcher, under- 

 standing that their old course was less profitable 

 to them than the giving of pleasure to men who 

 are pleased to pay for sport many times the value 

 of the fish or game bagged. 



While fishing at Carrick I had speech with 

 watchers and keepers, and occasionally caught sight 

 of a constabulary uniform that faced riverwards 



