EXPERIENCES & REMINISCENCES. 77 



and the circumstances of each individual swim. With this 

 digression Mr. Hopper may be permitted to remark that 

 friend Brown is a splendid angling cook, and makes 

 " puddings " to perfection. Mr. Hopper rather fancies him- 

 self in this particular line, but he is not a patch upon Brown, 

 who makes the muckiest but- at the same time most "hold- 

 together" puddings angler's eye ever rested on. 



The swim fished on this particular evening is known as the 

 " turn post " swim, and has rather a slow stream, and is this year 

 (the river being low) about 9 feet deep. There was no response to 

 Mr. Hopper's first few swims down, but a decided tug presently 

 indicated a bite. Down went Mr. Hopper's float, and he was 

 fast in a fish which did not go away like a barbel, and in two 

 seconds or so Mr. Hopper simply said "chub," and so it 

 proved to be, for very presently a leather-mouthed rascal of 

 2lbs. was in the capacious landing net and safely landed in the 

 boat. The very next swim down brought a huge tug and rush 

 away, and Mr. Hopper was again fast in another good sized fish, 

 which proved to be a stout thick well-conditioned chub of 3^1bs. 

 These two chub were all the fish the swim yielded that 

 evening, and the conclusion come to by friend Brown and Mr. 

 Hopper was that the swim was scarcely suitable so early in the 

 season for barbel, and they were more likely to be found in 

 the more rapid streams. 



Mr. Hopper's companion had no luck, but before quitting 

 the swim the ground was baited in view of a visit next 

 evening. The boat was then taken down in quick time 

 to the ferry and chained on to the large weighing boat in 

 readiness for use the next morning, as it had been arranged 

 during the row down to the ferry to fish Dunham Dubbs 

 in the morning-, and with that object to rise at a quarter- 

 past 3 and have a try at the carp bream at the " Dubbs," 

 which is or are two or two-and-a-half miles down the river. Mr. 

 Hopper and friend Brown then adjourned to the comfortable 

 hostelry, and after replenishing the inner man and playing a 

 few games at cribbage, they betook themselves to their 

 respective couches at 1 1 o'clock, mutually promising to be up 



