EXPERIENCES & REMINISCENCES. 9 



the boat and jumped. Now, Brown is not slim, on the con- 

 trary 7 , he carries weight he did on this occasion ; he failed to 

 reach the shore, and the next seen of him just appearing" above 

 the water was a certain rotund portion of his frame. Witch- 

 dorter silently exploded. Brown in a few seconds found his 

 way to the bank and stood there with about three stones 

 weight of water in his clothes remonstrating with Witchdorter. 

 Full of sympathy with Brown's pitiable plight, Mr. Hopper 

 offered a few words of condolence, during which Brown dis-. 

 appeared over the river bank in high dudgeon. To fish again 

 was useless. What with Brown's splash in the water and 

 Witchdorter's merriment over the incident, the few fish left 

 uncaught were scared away, and so ended the writer's first 

 experience with a " running " float. To Brown's credit it must 

 be mentioned that later in the day he appeared at the inn 

 where we were staying and under the soothing influence 

 of what was there provided he soon joined in as hearty a 

 laugh over his plunge as Witchdorter had done at the time of 

 the occurrence. 



Before finishing with friend Brown, who is really a 

 first-rate angler, a few words may here be added of Mr. 

 Hopper's introduction to barbel fishing. Brown acted as 

 godfather in that respect. After the writer had lost three fine 

 barbel and tackle one afternoon Brown said, " You're a duffer 

 at barbel fishing; let me show you how to land a barbel." 

 " All right," was the reply. In about a quarter-of-an-hour a 

 tremendous tug gave warning of another barbel. As soon as 

 struck, away Mr. Barbel went until he had run out about 30 

 yards of line. Brown said, "Hand me your rod and let me 

 show you how to play a barbel. I have been a barbel fisherman 

 20 years and never lost a barbel when I once fairly hooked 

 him." The rod was handed over, and watch pulled out, and 

 the time duly marked. Brown said, " My word though, this is 

 a whopper. I have caught them up to lolbs., but never a one 

 like this ; he weighs a stone at least." Presently Brown began 

 to turn very pale, and was nervously excited. " I believe it's a 

 salmon," said Brown. The details need not be filled in. At 



