AND HOW I HAVE CAUGHT MY FISH 307 



many things in general but particularly for a 

 many-sided professional fisherman, Lumsden, who 

 knows where and how to seek for sport, and who 

 will say " I say, I say " well, more times a day 

 than I would care to count. The last time I saw 

 him he said "It's useless to try to-day, I say, 

 Mr. Geen, I say. I tried this morning the same 

 spot that I got my thirteen pound carp, I say, 

 and all I took was a gudgeon with a lob worm, 

 I say." 



GUDGEON. 



In my earliest memories of the Thames the 

 gudgeon is associated with fishing parties, love- 

 making, and a dinner, at the local hotel, in which 

 this dainty fish was, as the whitebait is at Green- 

 wich, the most talked of dish. The first week in 

 September was the favourite time for gudgeon 

 contests, punt against punt, in each of which 

 were fisherman, lady angler and gentleman ditto. 

 The winners laughed and joked and, in some 

 instances, boasted a little ; the losers paid the bill. 



Try to realise a day on the Thames there 

 were no rowdies or hooligans then with her whose 

 company you would most desire on such an occa- 

 sion, while other punt or punts are similarly manned 

 and on a like quest. All have started with smiling 

 faces, the ladies a little flushed with the excitement 

 of the coming contest. 



How the fishermen would rake and rake and 



x 2 



