100 THE SCIENTIFIC ANGLER. 



the commissariat office. No human habitation appeared 

 within reasonable distance, and how onr weakly friend's 

 languishing could be immediately satiated seemed a mys- 

 tery. We were not long, however, to be left to speculate 

 as to the nature of the expedient to be adopted. Upon 

 the clear, hard turf, under the spreading, though now 

 stark branches of an ancient oak, the wood severed by 

 the violence of the late storms was arranged and ignited 

 by pipe-lights; some of the choice medium-sized fish 

 were split and cleaned in the silvery stream, so shortly be- 

 fore their home, spitted upon a two-pronged sapling, and, 

 in the glowing embers, were quickly done to a turn. The 

 relish with which they were eaten was significant; the 

 beautiful aroma imparted to the delicate fare by the 

 oaken embers, was simply delicious. Like the majority 

 of anglers we seldom care for our takes, after having had 

 the pleasure of extracting them; but we venture to assert 

 that the most fastidious palate would, in similar circum- 

 stances, have found their quarry, so primitively yet so 

 skilfully prepared, irresistible. Were we to state the 

 precise quantity of fish so cooked and disposed of by the 

 aid of pocket-knives upon that ever memorable Christ- 

 mas-eve, we should scarce look for full credit for the 

 statement. Let it suffice, that the intervening miles 

 rapidly disappeared under our re-invigorated footsteps, 

 through the picturesque moonlit Wye Valley, enlivened 

 by the beautiful stream, and we arrived early at our com- 

 fortable quarters, and in a state of mind and body, which 

 made the pillow an elysium of repose. 



Maggot and wasp grubs are often used by bottom fish- 

 ers for grayling, in a style somewhat similar to that 

 adopted in worm-fishing for coarse fish ; a quill float 

 and very fine hook and tackle being, of course, substi- 

 tuted. Skillful roach-fishers are proficients at grayling- 

 fishing with these appliances^ though the fish are more 

 frequently lost than when roach is the quarry. Ground 



