THE ANGLER'S GUIDE. 169 



at them and learn. What kind of fish do you 

 think they are, Mr. Bigings ?" 



" Why, they look to me," said Bigings? 

 " very much like small cod, or haddocks." 



" But I always thought they was coutch in 

 the sea, in salt water," said Stickings. 



"They may citch 'em there in nets," said 

 Bigings, " but this 'ere river you see joins 

 the sea, and who knows but they may take 

 a stroll up here for the sake of a little fresh 

 water?"* 



" And what kind of bait have they got on 

 the hook ?" said Stickings. 



" I don't know, I'm sure," said Bigings ; " its 

 very white, and looks to me very much like a 

 small piece of a thin candle, or a bit of fat pork."f 



" No," said Rigings, whose eyes were very 

 good, "it looks to me more like a piece of 

 gristle, or paddewack" 



And thus they went on cogitating, beholding 

 every now and then a barbel taken by some 

 one of the anglers who were in the punt. 

 At length Bigings said, " Well, it's no use to 

 set looking at them ; if we want fish ourselves, 



* Barbel have very much the appearance of codlings or had- 

 docks at a distance. 



f Graves would have that appearance on the other side of 

 the river. 



