CHAPTER XII 



A May Day's Angling 



Many anglers who resort regularly every 

 season to Scotland, Wales, or so far afield 

 as Norway, for their fortnight or three weeks 

 of fishing, are apt to suppose that there is 

 no first-rate fishing within easy distance of 

 London ; or, indeed, in the south country 

 at all, save on those famous streams, the 

 Test and Itchen. Yet there is probably 

 very little, if any, trouting in Britain or 

 Norway to surpass that which is obtainable 

 by the fortunate few on a score or so of 

 streams within an hour's rail of London. 

 The Test, Itchen, and Kennet may be 

 pre-eminent in reputation among South of 

 England trout-streams. But the Chess, 

 the headwaters of the Lea, and the little 



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