14 FISHES I HAVE KNOWN 



carpenter, in whose yard the sawing of wood was 

 continually going on, and my delight was to sit 

 and watch the man in the pit co-operating with 

 his mate above. I noticed that the latter, though 

 he seemed to do less work, by way of com- 

 pensation got more sawdust in his eyes. 



Delightful also did I find it in the garden, 

 amongst the sweet-williams, hollyhocks, and roses, 

 of which last I was allowed to plant a cutting ; 

 and thirty years afterwards, when I re-visited the 

 dear old place, I found the front of the house 

 completely covered with the white blossoms of 

 the Banksia — the result, I believe, of my first 

 attempt at practical horticulture. 



Having been promised a day's fishing on the 

 first suitable opportunity, the momentous question 

 regarding the choice of rod, tackle, and bait for 

 my purpose kept me awake several nights. The 

 moot point decided, to prolong the pleasure of 

 " getting ready " I purchased each separate item 

 long'o intei'vallo^ at the one shop where such things 

 could be obtained. These items were very 

 primitive, compatible with my tender years and 

 slenderness of purse. The rod was a two-jointed 

 wooden affair, about six feet long, the line a cotton 

 one, the gutted hooks of the smallest, the plump 

 float a brilliant green ; there were split shot and 



