ANGLING REMINISCENCES. 81 



III. That no individual shall be allowed to join in 

 the competition, who is not at the starting-post precise- 

 ly at nine o'clock, A.M. ; but the absence of such indi- 

 vidual shall not exclude the contest, should the remain- 

 ing competitor, in his reduced position, think proper to 

 commence it. The non-appearance of an entire party 

 shall of course occasion the forfeiture of the stake. 



IV. That the competitors shall again appear at the 

 starting-post at five o'clock, P.M., when the match shall 

 be held terminated, and the umpires called upon to de- 

 cide. 



V. That the place of contest shall be confined to the 

 river itself, all tributaries excluded. 



A slight objection was raised on the part of Mr Wandle- 

 weir to this enactment; but as he avoided carrying it 

 to any length, it was generally concluded that he was 

 secretly not displeased at its introduction. 



VI. That, upon starting, the two contending parties 

 shall proceed in different directions, as shall be decided by 

 lot ; one up and the other down the river, and to such 

 a distance, that before commencing to angle, there shall 

 be at least a full English mile of water betwixt them. 



VII. That each party shall include the umpire chosen 

 by its opponents who, however, shall not be entitled 

 to angle, or to interrupt, in any way, the progress of the 

 contest. 



Both of these regulations were canvassed by Mr Wan- 

 dle-weir, who proposed, that the competitors should be 

 set off, one against the other, on opposite banks of the 

 river. He agreed, however, to the division into two 



F 



