356 NOTES ON FISH AND FISHING. 



The only sounds he hears are those of the wind softly- 

 whispering through the reeds or osier beds, the rippling 

 of the stream, the plaintive call of the moor-hen, or the 

 somniferous music of some not far distant weir. Pre- 

 suming he has, what most anglers have, a quiet conscience, 

 he can, if anywhere, at a Thames fisherman's cottage 

 " sleep the sleep of the just." 



And what shall I say of the creature comforts supplied 

 to the angler ? This will depend upon circumstances ; 

 but as far as cooking goes the Thames fisherman's wife 

 invariably does all for him that culinary art can do, par- 

 ticularly in serving his own fish as only a fisherman's 

 wife can. 



I have already said so much on this point, and, indeed, 

 laid myself open to the charge of repetition, that I will 

 return at once to the fishermen themselves. They are, as 

 I have said, given to order and cleanliness. To this their 

 punts bear witness. "A place for everything and every- 

 thing in its place" is their motto; and as the angler 

 takes his seat on a Windsor chair or punt-well in the 

 morning, bound for the happy fishing-grounds, he admires 

 the well-mopped craft, without a speck of dirt even on 

 the foot-boards, and the thoughtful and orderly disposal 

 of all the requisites for the day's sport. I never knew a 

 good fisherman who had not the bump of order and 

 tidiness. The next thing which attracts your attention 

 is your fisherman's punting skill. What an easy thing 

 punting looks ! It is only just pushing a punt along 

 with a pole, just as playing billiards is only giving a 

 sharp tap to a ball with the end of a cue ! Just try it 

 then, and see what you can make of it. I remember once 

 punting a lady for many long hours on a summer's day, 



