ff 



73 



will not weigh much, less tb.an nine pounds. I 

 have not seen a "better taken in the Lea this season. 

 I had a run with one, which, from, the glance I had 

 of him as he turned, I should take to he larger ; but 

 though he had plenty of time to pouch, I failed to 

 hook him. 



FISHER, I had twenty minutes' good play with 

 .the largest pike, for my tackle was rather of the 

 finest, and he was strong and pulled hard. I nearly 

 lost him once, just as I had brought him near the 

 shore, and was preparing to get his head into the 

 landing net. Alarmed at the sight of the net, his 

 fear gave him new strength, and he went off with a 

 plunge which I thought had broken all away; but 

 my tackle held good. It was his last effort, for after 

 he had run off about thirty yards of line, I felt him 

 getting weak, when I turned him and drew him to 

 land fairly exhausted. He was dead beat, and when 

 I got him into the net, he scarcely moved a fin. 



SIMPSON. Though the cockney angler may not 

 take so many nor so fine fish as are caught in the 

 north, yet he enjoys a greater variety of sport. I 

 suppose there is not much trolling in the neighbour- 

 hood of Sanquhar, Mr. Tweddell? 



TWEDDELL. Very little. The streams are too 

 rapid there to afford much harbour for pike, or ged, as 

 they are frequently called in Dumfries-shire. They are, 

 however, caught in several streams in the lower part 

 of the county about Dumfries; and I have known 

 them frequently taken in locha with night-lines ; but 



