1 62 How I Became a Sportsmax. 



better it behoves me not to say. As Dart- 

 moor was for ages, and as I have seen it, I love 

 it and glory in it ; such as it may be in future 

 years will not be my lot to know. 



The trout in most of the Devonshire 

 streams come in very early, and in the moor 

 streams they run very small ; but what they 

 lack in size they make up in numbers. The 

 streams are so bright and clear, that they 

 require a lot of catching, and old Isaac's 

 disciples must keep themselves well out of 

 sight in order to succeed. Long before the 

 fly is on the water a good dish of flsh may be 

 got with the worm ; but it is not every one 

 who cares to fish with that unpleasant kind of 

 bait, and by many it is considered unsports- 

 manlike. Tlie story goes of an old Scotch 

 fisherman saying, when it was suggested to him 

 to try the worm, and with a most offended and 

 dignified air, " I am but a poor mon, but 

 I never fash with wurrem." 



Well, I am not exactly of the old Scotch- 

 man's mind. I do not altogether fancy worm- 

 fishing, it is true, but I do not despise it, and 

 when fish can be caught in no other way I take 

 advantage of it. I never was a very great hand 



