FISHES OF MY CHILDHOOD 21 



and so nearly was I drowned that my excursions 

 to this spot were put a stop to. 



Returning to London, the fishing fever still on 

 me, I could not rest until a ticket was procured 

 from the Ranger (or keeper, I forget which) giving 

 permission for me to fish in the ornamental lake 

 at Regent's Park. 



There, day after day, I patiently waited by the 

 water-side for a bite. In vain, however. Not one 

 did I get, and as I never saw any other angler 

 get one, I came to the conclusion that there was 

 nothing to catch. Possibly the swans had eaten 

 up all the small fry. 



Some relatives at Wimbledon got leave for me 

 to fish in a fine piece of water attached to 

 Wimbledon Lodge, a mansion enclosed by a con- 

 spicuous high wall. There I caught some tench 

 and perch ; but as Wimbledon was then somewhat 

 inaccessible, my visits were necessarily few and 

 far between. 



One summer we children were taken to Windsor, 

 where I first experienced the delight of punt- 

 fishing. Our old boatman knew all the pitches 

 for a long distance up and down the river, at that 

 time comparatively deserted. 



How I loved those trips ! We sometimes used 

 a casting-net and caught gudgeon, which I was 



