130 FISHING GOSSIP. 



purposes of sun-spearing. The free-and-easy style of 

 the dress of the great Guerilla will oppose the 

 least possible resistance to the use of the " thews and 

 sinews " in air or water. 



The time and place for this form of one of the 

 Wild Sports of the West, which would seem to have 

 escaped the graphic pen of Maxwell, are all-important. 

 It is highly creditable to the good taste of the lake eel 

 that he selects the best month of the twelve for his 

 Whitsuntide revels. Generally between the first of 

 June and the middle of July, days of calm and sun- 

 shine occur which faintly remind us of the brilliancy 

 and serenity of a southern clime, even in these humid 

 islands, in which the sun, alas ! too often shines 



" With smiles that might as well be tears, 

 So faint, so sad their beaming." 



During this month or six weeks, however, the eel, 

 like Mr. Curran's emancipated slave, " walks abroad 

 in his own majesty," and displays himself in all his 

 length and strength to the admiring eyes of those 

 who know where to look for him. For this purpose 

 the eel-hunter must be wide-awake and up early. If 

 the tyro lies abed " till the sun burns a hole in the 

 blanket," as Pat has it, or waits the breakfast-bell to 

 chase away the phantoms of an empty stomach, he 

 had better at once forego the pleasures of this amuse- 

 ment. The pursuit is not exactly suited to the " inner 

 man," being strongly opposed to punctual hours of 



