EXPERIENCES & REMINISCENCES. 135 



over to the bone-mill to procure a fresh supply of those 

 beautiful crawlers on which Sheffield anglers bestow so much 

 care and attention, and keep so warm and clean in a manner 

 which is scarcely acceptable to Grimsby anglers. The weather 

 was very hot, but the journey was a pleasant one, all being full 

 of anticipation of good sport. The destination was arrived at 

 in due course, and a good dinner put out of sight by the bye, 

 Master Hopper, who is sufficiently advanced in years to be now 

 styled Mr. Hopper, junr., accompanied us, not with the view so 

 much of angling as of satisfying himself and the world generally 

 that the young ladies of the district had given themselves up to 

 the feminine craze of cycling, and also that since last year's 

 visit they had advanced in that moral culture and ladylike tone 

 and address which one looks for in the coy village maiden of 

 to-day. Mr. Hopper says nothing against George, but owing 

 to the attractions of the fair sex on the other side of the river, 

 it was considered prudent that his fishing should be confined to 

 that side of the Trent where Mr. Hopper and his mates could 

 keep an eye upon him. 



It was determined to spend the afternoon in pulling the boat 

 up to the swim where Mr. Hopper last year landed so many 

 barbel, and after executing sundry repairs to the boat, this 

 intention was carried into effect, and a good ground baiting of 

 " scratching " was given the swim, and then rods were put 

 together with a view to trying for a few dace and gudgeon 

 before tea time arrived. These fish, however, were dead " off," 

 and Mr. Hopper and his mates had to sit out a drenching 

 shower, and listen to the music of somewhat distant thunder. 

 There was not sufficient rain to freshen up the Trent or cause 

 a rise of water, but it cooled the air, and made things 

 pleasanter all round. In the evening the Ferry swim was 

 fished, and Mr. Hopper quite expected it would yield some 

 good chub like last year, where Mr. Hopper in twenty minutes 

 had inside the boat four chub ranging from 2lbs. to 2^1bs. each. 

 The swim had been baited with cheese, but all lures were 

 used without avail, and with very little to show as the 

 result of persistent and careful fishing, the hostelry was sought 



