24 BROADLAND SPORT 



proves greater than the salt water on the outer side ; closing 

 in a reverse manner when the flood rushes up from the sea. 



Often these landspring drains have a hard bottom, and 

 the butts love to make their way up against the strong- 

 running stream. This affords the spearer a favourable oppor- 

 tunity. At about half -ebb the depth of the stream will 

 probably not exceed a few inches, and it is then easily 

 waded. 



The spear on these landspring drains is generally dis- 

 carded in favour of a common kitchen steel fork, for reasons 

 which the reader will soon discover. With pail, fish-can, 

 or bag (having a prepared mouth) slung on his side, or on the 

 back, the fisher enters the stream as near to the sluice gate 

 as he can. 



He generally wades barefooted, as butts are at all times 

 difficult to see, lying on the bottom of the stream slightly 

 embedded in sand or mud, the colour of which their upper 

 surface or back most closely resembles, and by wading bare- 

 footed the fisher can feel with his feet quite as many as he 

 will see ; if he treads on a butt and then stands quite still 

 he can with his fork feel the centre of the fish and drive 

 the fork through it. By putting one or more fingers on 

 the under side of the fish, he raises it from the water with- 

 out fear of losing it. It is then deposited in the carrier; and 

 he proceeds on his way up stream. 



As he wades along the running stream takes away all 

 the discoloured water which is disturbed by his feet, which 

 would otherwise obscure his view, thus giving him a clear 

 field for operations. Zigzagging his course, he does not pass 

 a bunch of weeds or a mass of debris which may be caught 

 by an overhanging briar or bough, but he carefully dissects 

 it with his fork, and spears any fish lying under it which he 

 thinks worthy of capture. 



In this manner eels of good size, butts, small jack and other 

 fish are taken ; in a couple of hours (the turning of the tide 

 rarely permitting a much longer fishing) the author has 

 caught nearly a pailful of good -sized fish of several varieties 



