1 82 The Gamekeeper at Home. 



larger, else it will not draw up quick enough, nor too 

 small, else it may touch and disturb the jack. It 

 does not take much practice to hit the happy medium. 

 Approaching the bank of the brook quietly, so as 

 not to shake the ground, to the vibrations of which 

 fish are peculiarly sensitive, the poacher tries if 

 possible to avoid letting his shadow fall across the 

 water. 



Some persons' eyes seem to have an extraordinary 

 power of seeing through water, and of distinguishing 

 at a glance a fish from a long swaying strip of dead 

 brown flag, or the rotting pieces of wood which lie at 

 the bottom. The ripple of the breeze, the eddy at 

 the curve, or the sparkle of the sunshine cannot 

 deceive them ; while others, and by far the greater 

 number, are dazzled and see nothing. It is astonish- 

 ing how few persons seem to have the gift of sight 

 when in the field. 



The poacher, having marked his prey in the 

 shallow yonder, gently extends his rod slowly across 

 the water three or four yards higher up the stream, 

 and lets the wire noose sink without noise till it 

 almost or quite touches the bottom. It is easier to 

 guide the noose to its destination when it occasionally 

 touches the mud, for refraction distorts the true posi- 

 tion of objects in water, and accuracy is important. 



