AND HOW I HAVE CAUGHT MY FISH 173 



is sometimes absolutely irresistible. The dainty 

 feeding conger takes it greedily, and it is a much 

 prized bait on the cod banks of Newfoundland. 



In return be patient while I tell you in a round- 

 about way how to get and use it. 



The calmest, hottest pollack-fishing day I ever 

 knew I spent on the Manacles in Cornwall. The 

 sun shone from a blue sky with such intensity as 

 to scorch the paint in blisters on our boat. So hot 

 was it that the workers on the stranded Paris and 

 on the ill-fated Mohegan, which had drowned her 

 human cargo by the hundred, struck work for an 

 hour or two during the unbearable midday heat. 

 We drifted idly, by the hour, over miles of sunken 

 rock, getting peeps at the wonderful world below, 

 with now and then a sight of shoals of pig-fish 

 (wrasse), bass, and bream, all bent on idleness ; but 

 not a pollack visible. 



The birds, generally so numerous and so busy 

 here, were in shady nooks, and everything said "No 

 sport to-day." This was all the more regrettable 

 because I 'had three of my sons on board who were 

 to be witnesses of the effects of the irresistible bait, 

 in the capture of which we had spent some hours 

 the night before. 



On the previous afternoon the ladies of our 

 party had been taken out to be amused, and at the 

 same time helpful, by " chadding," the necessary 

 preliminary to "squidding." 



Float lines had been rigged out and a pleasant 



