PEARL FISHING IN FRANCE. 97 



paddling business, and I fishing. Every now 

 and then he dropped the weight, whilst I whip- 

 ped a likely looking bit of water. I caught some 

 very fair trout, and was highly delighted with 

 the success of our nautical trip. 



After an hour or so's work we got out, and 

 rested ourselves a little, but were soon afloat 

 again. This time we went along in really first- 

 rate style, and gradually working our way down, 

 we came, about four o'clock, on the fishing party. 

 There they were, about forty of them, ladies and 

 gentlemen, dodging about in the water some 

 three hundred yards below us. 



" Now, old fellow/' said I, " put on the steam, 

 and go down a rattler. Let us show them what 

 a Welsh coracle is." 



"All right, Jack." 



And he began paddling away. We proceeded 

 beautifully but, alas! not carefully. The 

 coracle began turning and twisting about, and 

 there was no stopping her, as she had got into 

 the full swing of the stream. My friend lost his 

 paddle, and began using his hands in one direc- 

 tion, I following suit. The effect of this was 

 that she spun round faster and faster. Our 



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