in MAY-DAY ON THE EXE 33 



Mr. Andrew Lang has almost made up my 

 mind more than once to start for Clearburn 

 Loch, for " there are trout in Clearburn." 

 Here is his additional recommendation : 

 " There are plenty in the loch, but you need 

 not make the weary journey ; they are not 

 for you or me." The weary journey shall 

 certainly be made one day, not of course that 

 I want to prove Mr. Lang in the wrong, but 

 because of the perversity of human nature, 

 which insists on trying conclusions with 

 fate, every man for himself. Moreover, 

 there is always the chance that the trout 

 of Clearburn may have changed their 

 habits. 



Then there is the great dry-fly school, 

 which would inspire a man to cast the May- 

 Day fly in southern Test or Itchen. There 

 are patriotic Irishmen who have written 

 witching words about their witching country, 

 and whose descriptions of its trout-fishing 

 are fully justified. The Principality also has 

 its prophets ; and there are good men and 

 true who would go no farther than deep- 

 bosomed Thames, for he holds out vague 

 promises of monster trout to the man who 

 seeks them with skill and patience. In short, 



