THE RIVEH LEA. 401 



bourhood of London, that is, from Bagnigge Wells to the Sluice House, 

 at HIGHBURY, it is actively fished by juvenile anglers. There is a scower 

 by the Sluice House where gudgeon and roach sometimes bite pretty 

 freely, and about the piles there is good chub-fishing. At HORNSEY, 

 near the church, is a subscription water, where there is good roach, 

 dace, and pearch fishing ; and in the Garden of HORNSEY-WOOD HOUSE, 

 is a lake where anglers taking refreshment are allowed to fish. 



But the river is much netted, and the sport hardly worth seeking to 

 those who can get to a greater distance from London. In the waters 

 about SOUTHGATE, ENFOLD, &c., there is tolerable fishing, if permission 

 can be obtained from the residents, but the fish are generally small. 



The NEW RIVER RESERVOIRS are preserved, and are generally well 

 stored with fish ; but those at SADLER'S WELLS and STOKE NEWINGTON, 

 which have hitherto abounded in fine fish, have lately been cleaned 

 out The Reservoir at CHESHUNT is full of fine pike, pearch, &c. Per- 

 mission to fish in either must be obtained through a director of the New 

 River Company. But a recent Act of Parliament compels the enclosing 

 or covering in of all' the reservoirs, which will probably put an end to 

 the angling. 



THE RIVER LEA. 



THIS river is held by London anglers to be second only to the 

 Thames, and during the fence months (March, April, and May), when 

 fishing, excepting for trout, is forbidden in the Thames, it is their 

 principal resource. It is besides readily accessible, throughout its 

 whole course, by rail. 



The LEA rises near Luton, in Bedfordshire, and pursuing a south- 

 eastern course to Hertford and Ware, falls into the Thames near 

 Blackwall. It is navigable from Hertford to Limehouse, and flows 

 through a beautiful pastoral country, adorned with villages and noble 

 mansions, and bordered by sloping hills and woods. No one will won- 

 der at the love our old master, Izaac Walton, had for these rural scenes. 



This river abounds with pike, pearch, chub, barbel, carp, tench, eels, 

 roach, dace, gudgeon, bleak, indeed every kind of fish, excepting trout, 

 which are only found in some parts of it, but when found often run 

 very large. 



The Lea is an excellent school for anglers, as the fish are well fed 

 naturally, and the water so clear, and often low, that nothing but fine 

 fishing can succeed. 



The TEMPLE MILLS WATER (rented by Mr. J. Beresford, of the WHITE 

 HOUSE), is the first station from the Thames where thei'e is any tolerable 

 fishing ; but the waters are very shallow. The Temple Mills have long 

 since been pulled down, and all that now remains to mark the spot is 

 the WHITE HART, a comfortable inn with a pretty garden, of which 

 the landlord is Mr. Wm. Beresford, jun., son of the proprietor of the 

 White House. In the garden is an enormous poplar tree, within the 

 branches of which is a platform capable of accommodating sixty-three 

 people comfortably. 



Immediately contiguous is the subscription water of the WHITE 



