8 A MEDLEY OF SPORT 



valuable water rights, I do not propose to enter into the 

 subject of watercress growing as an industry. Suffice 

 it to say it is a Mghly profitable business. 



It was while wandering, or, rather, trespassing, along 

 the banks of a lovely reach of this little river that 

 I met with a benevolent-looking white-haired old 

 gentleman "whipping" the stream with a 9-ft. split cane, 

 a gossamer -like silk line, and a tiny midge of a March 

 Brown tied upon the finest of fine-drawn gut. Trout 

 (many of them goodly fish) were rising freely, and so 

 intent was the venerable angler on endeavouring to 'tice 

 the speckled beauties that he did not appear to notice my 

 presence until I had approached to within a few yards of 

 him, when, with a good deal more courtesy than I really 

 deserved, he asked if I was aware of the fact that I was 

 trespassing upon a private fishery. 



Seeing that several notice-boards bearing the super- 

 scription, " Private Water — Trespassers will be Pro- 

 secuted," had confronted me at different points along 

 the river, I could not but admit having knowingly com- 

 mitted an act of trespass, and somewhat lamely — albeit 

 truthfully — excused myself on the ground that I had 

 wandered from the king's highway in search of nature 

 notes from which to write a spring sketch. As luck 

 had it, just as I was bringing my unwonted flow of 

 oratory to a close, Piscator rose and hooked a trout, which, 

 judging from its fighting powers, I guessed to be a good 

 one. After a tough battle the fish allowed itself to be 

 drawn close into the high bank, and, taking up the 



