86 DAYS AMONG THE PIKE AND PERCH 



proof bluchers, several sizes too big, volunteered the in- 

 formation that " she kept the pan frizzling pretty regu- 

 larly all through the season by the spoils of her rod ; she 

 reckoned to have a couple of hours nearly every day ; the 

 boys liked the bream, and she liked to catch 'em." I fancy 

 she was the daughter, or the granddaughter, of the ancient 

 shepherd who lived in a small cottage some few hundred 

 yards away. I have often wondered if she still " keeps 

 the pan a-frizzling " or has got higher and more aristocratic 

 notions since then. Her sisters of the village went in for 

 high-heeled boots and bicycles ; but the damsel of the 

 bream hole was content with huge blucher shoes, and a 

 rough-and-ready fishing rod. Many times I saw her after 

 that, and looked upon her as being nearly as great a land- 

 mark as the huge willow that stood and cast its shadow 

 far over the water at the head of that famous swim. 



Once I remember fastening my old boat in the swim 

 exactly opposite that big willow ; there had been some 

 heavy rain and the water was tinged with colour, and 

 running nearly twice as fast as it did in a dry summer. 

 Seven feet of water and a lovely bottom ! A big pailful of 

 ground bait was expended, one kernel of stewed wheat on 

 the hook, and at night an old mat basket was overflowing, 

 and I kept nothing less than half a pound. That catch 

 stands out as one of the best I ever made on that or any 

 other river. 



Once afterwards in the same swim I got a dozen good 

 perch, fishing with the tail end of a lob on float tackle ; 

 and still again I can call to mind a bag of eight jack that 

 friend Ducker and I got on snap tackle and float, running 

 the bait all down those flags, eddies, and runs. 



This is a long digression, but writing about that old spot 

 woke up memories that refuse to be suppressed. 



From that point down to Offord Church there was at 

 least two miles of good water, containing a fair sprinkling 

 of jack. That afternoon of which I write, I only just 

 skimmed it over, getting a good plump five-pounder, and 



