98 MAKING A FISHERY. 



do until the two nets have been drawn down 

 within a short distance of it. If economy is the 

 desideratum, these men could in the meantime 

 be employed in pulling one of the nets ; but if 

 efficiency is considered all important, the neces- 

 sity of having plenty of hands cannot be too 

 forcibly urged. In many of the deeper parts of 

 most chalk streams there are places where the 

 men pulling the nets sink into the mud up to 

 their knees, or even deeper, and under such 

 conditions the greatly increased exertion is apt 

 to make them shirk the deep mud, and allow 

 coarse fish to escape. When a man, walking 

 on the bank, keeps the rope at each end of the 

 net taut, the labour of making way through the 

 mud is much decreased. If by any chance a 

 man gets stuck in the mud, it is well to impress 

 on those trying from the bank to help him out, 

 that they should only keep the rope tight. 

 With this assistance he can almost invariably 

 struggle out, and the danger of serious injury 

 by Wrenching or dislocation is only increased by 

 pulling violently at the rope. 



The two men who are free after setting the 

 stop net are available for this purpose ; also for 

 such duty as treading out pike from places 

 under overhanging bushes and other positions 

 where the nets cannot be dragged. Then, too, 

 they can be utilised for driving pike out of 



