246 PIKE AND OTHER COARSE FISH. 



situated at the foot of the Cheviots, the nearer of them being 

 within an hour's drive of Kelso. 



Indeed, notwithstanding the clamour against bait-fishing raised 

 in certain quarters, I feel inclined to hold the opinion that diversity 

 in one's sport gives a sustaining relish to every individual branch 

 of it ; and that an occasional indulgence, by way, as it were, of 

 interlude, in the tamer and ruder, adds to the enjoyment of the more 

 exciting and refined department. I have frequently also, amongst 

 rod fishers of my acquaintance, adepts in trout and salmon slaying, 

 noticed, that however much at starting they may affect, in the way 

 of comparison, to despise the amusement of perch-fishing, they 

 will quickly enter into the spirit of it, as a diversion, when the 

 game is fairly set a-going, and evince by their keenness that, in 

 the sudden dive of the float and the leisurely sailing out of the line, 

 under conduct, now and then, of a two-pound fish, they experience 

 a high measure of satisfaction. 



Personally also I may say that I have satiated my soul with 

 salmon slaughter (having once taken fifteen spring fish with the 

 fly between breakfast and dinner), yet the prospect of a good day's 

 float-fishing of any kind is always charming to me. There is 

 no doubt, as Mr. Stoddart truly says, a fascination of its own in 

 float-fishing, and of this the great majority of anglers number- 

 ing hundreds of thousands, scattered over the country, each and 

 all ' brethren of the quill,' afford convincing proof. Many of 

 these men have perhaps never had an opportunity of seeing a 

 salmon or trout caught in their lives, but the 'enthusiastic 

 patience,' to misapply the Queen's English, with which they stand 

 for hour after hour watching the top of their tiny quill for the 

 chance of a bite is sirjiply splendid, and I am afraid I must in 

 honesty add, to myself, incomprehensible. "Ad e'er a bite, 

 Jim ? ' ' No, I only cum here yesterday morning,' is a some- 

 what exaggerated, but not inapt expression of this long suffering 

 and inexhaustible patience. 



The clergy are great float-fishers as well as fly-fishers ; fish- 

 ing being one of the few sports which are now considered seemly 

 in a parson, and some of the best performers in this way that 

 I have ever come across have been ' sky-pilots,' as a nautical 

 friend of mine calls them. 



