AND HOW I HAVE CAUGHT MY FISH 345 



for them, and Preservation Societies need to hasten 

 much to race the poachers in the getting of them 

 out of these. 



In this particular spot of which I write the fish 

 were often the prey of a set of poaching rascals, 

 who laid their flue net, first across the mouth of 

 the ditch, and, having gone up some distance, 

 drove the fish down into the net with long poles. 

 It was then taken up, emptied, and refixed higher 

 up and another length was similarly treated. 



It's seldom that elms consent to have their roots 

 washed by the Thames ; the clump before us on 

 our left has done so for many scores of years and 

 cast its grateful shade in summer, and welcome 

 shelter in winter, over the fortunate anglers who 

 have fished the two pitches known as the Elms 

 Swim. No matter that the water be high, I pro- 

 mise dry foothold and a quiet corner for the floats. 

 Don't forget your worms, as you may fairly expect 

 a few good perch. Are you afraid of ghosts ? 

 If so, don't come, for as sure as spirits are per- 

 mitted to revisit the scenes which they loved while 

 in the flesh, so surely will old Mortimer's spirit 

 hover about these trees. 



A few years since you might have had the 

 pleasure of meeting here the most extraordinary 

 enthusiast that ever lived. Here he fished in his 

 prime, a tall stalwart man ; twenty years made no 

 difference in him, he continued to fish his favourite 

 swim with the best of tackle. Another twenty 



2 A 



