DOWN THE BECK 35 



but too often as he turns round from the water's 

 edge in some rich meadow, he finds himself the 

 centre towards which the curved fronts of two or 

 three oxen converge uncomfortably close, literally 

 placing him on the horns of a dilemma. The sleek 

 heifers, however, approach him without any signs of 

 attack or trepidation, and often run the risk of being 

 caught as he rapidly draws his flies back for a cast. 

 Tame ducks and water rats are frequently thus 

 caught ; but the most singular coincidence of this 

 kind happened to a friend who, on going down the 

 Otter to fish, had to cross a bridge. Whirling his 

 flies over this as he passed, a swallow, darting 

 underneath, took one and was captured. On his 

 return in the evening he again whisked his flies 

 over the bridge, and a bat, snapping at one under 

 the arches, was taken in the same ignominious 

 manner. 



All this time, as is not uncommon with lovers of 

 nature, we have lost sight of our main purpose in 

 coming down the brook — fishing, to wit. The art 

 boasts a long descent, according to Walton, the 

 highest authority to whom a fisherman can bow. 

 " Some say it is as ancient as Deucalion's flood ; 

 others that Belus, who was the first inventor of godly 

 and virtuous recreations, was the first inventor of 

 angling," with much more to the same purport. It 



