HUNTING FOR FISHING IO3 



Well, well, I am sorry, I may say grieved, 

 to tell you that our glorious anticipations were 

 doomed to disappointment. After a laborious 

 pursuit of the ins and outs of that winding and 

 bewildering bush-surrounded stream, that one 

 little grayling remained the sole occupant of our 

 basket. We did not share him with the farmers ; 

 we brought him home whole, and I had him for 

 breakfast the next morning, and sweet and tender 

 he was. Now why did we catch no fish ? There 

 are plenty of trout there, and good ones. 



"Well," as our landlord said, "you never know, 

 when you go a-fishing, what may happen. When 

 I was a boy I've gone many a time to the river 

 and caught a dozen big trout of an evening with 

 a worm, under an old stump, while you fly- 

 fishers couldn't catch one." He added, " There 

 is a neighbour of mine, he is one of the best 

 anglers in the county. I saw him pull nine 

 tremendous big fellows out of one hole not long 

 ago. Why, yonder he is ! " An elderly gentleman 

 was sitting under a large willow on the other 

 side of the river, and when I happened to catch 

 sight of him he was holding a big black bottle 

 up to his mouth, as if he was sucking something 

 out of it. I know not what it was, but he seemed 



