II. 



FISHING 



1. 



Besides being the most ancient and honourable 

 of all human pastimes, fishing is the only form 

 of sport that has been continuously practised 

 ^vithout a break since the very creation of the 

 universe. 



The climatic conditions that prevailed at the 

 time of the Flood rendered it almost impossible 

 for the sportsmen of that period to take part in 

 those pursuits to which Adam and his immediate 

 descendants had devoted so much of their 

 leisure in those happy days when the Eden 

 coverts were still carefully preserved. The per- 

 sistent succession of rainy days made deer- 

 stalking an unpleasant as well as an unprofitable 

 amusement; as the tide gradually rose it became 

 too damp for anything but snipe-shooting and 

 otter-hunting, and, finally, when nearly the 

 whole surface of the world had been submerged, 

 every variety of game was driven to the moun- 

 tain-tops, where they clustered together in 



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