WADING. 123 



unreachable creeks and pockets on the other 

 side, can easily be understood. An old pair 

 of carpet slippers or tennis shoes is all the 

 equipment required; for thistles, nettles, or 

 bracken soon lose their sting, or are disregarded, 

 as the evening rise dapples the surface or 

 catches the ear from the pools under the red 

 cliff and the sycamores. 



As no other rod was out that evening, we 

 divided the upper meadow between us, and 

 separated at a quarter to eight to seek adventures 

 and sport each in our own way, agreeing' to 

 meet below swing gates at ten o'clock and tell 

 each other all about it. 



I should like to be able to convey to others 

 the sense of absolute pleasure derived from 

 sitting on that bank and looking out over the 

 river. After fifteen years knowledge of nearly 

 all that has been done each season and of what 

 a modest aggregate the all consists of it is 

 surprising that one can begin evening after 

 evening with renewed hope and interest. Yet 

 so it is, and I really believe if the water were 

 privately owned, were stocked with two pounders, 

 whose appetites were attuned to surface feeding, 

 and I were given the only ticket to fish it, the 

 old spell would be broken. 



All the same if any philanthropist will try 

 the experiment, and enclose a stamped envelope 

 for the return of his permit, I shall be happy 

 to give him my address and will let him know 

 how I get on at the end of the following 

 month. 



