64 EXPERIENCES OF SPORT: 



hold of them, or they are gone on the instant. 

 On a nice moonlight night they shine like a 

 streak of silver. Immense numbers are taken 

 in this way ; it is hard work, but very exciting, 

 and bets are generally made between the gentle- 

 men as to who will make the largest basket ; 

 they go in gangs of three or four. 



The rake is by far the most effective method. 

 The ground is torn up by it, which un- 

 covers many more than the hook will do, and 

 there is a regular scramble for the fish. At 

 these pic-nic parties the men generally rake, 

 and the ladies catch. I need hardly say the 

 sand eel is delicious eating. 



It was for this fishing, then, that we were all 

 assembled at La Rocque ; but the merry party 

 was very nearly being turned into a mourning 

 one as will presently appear. I suppose it was 

 the same thing at the beginning of the world, 

 and will probably continue so till the ending, 

 and that is, that whenever a certain number of 

 gentlemen and ladies get together there is 

 usually a fierce flirtation or two going on. Now 

 such was the case on this particular occasion. 

 Not one or two, but some five or six. The 



