94 WATERSIDE SKETCHES. 



the sportsmen were not sufficiently skilful with their lures. 

 Anglers are often laughed at for that ready excuse they have 

 under any circumstances and at all times to explain ill luck : 

 the water is too low or too high, too bright or too coloured, 

 or the weather is unfavourable, or has been, or threatens to 

 be so. Nevertheless, laugh as you may, it is undoubted that 

 iish do suddenly and without any apparent reason drop into 

 listlessness and lie at the bottom like a stone, to be tempted 

 by no bait whatsoever. 



On this morning we tried every expedient ; roach, dace, 

 and gudgeon were in turn placed upon the live bait tackle ; 

 every spinning flight in the box was attempted ; artificial 

 trout, phantoms, and red-tasselled spoon bait succeeded ; 

 and finally we settled down to — what is after all the best 

 method of fishing the Ouse — trolling with the gorge' bait. 

 A dozen times during the day we distinctly saw pike lazily 

 follow the spinner or dead roach to within a few inches of the 

 surface, never intending — the cheats ! — to touch the bait, 

 but pursuing it out of mere shark-like instinct. We thus 

 returned to our hostelry, muddy, silent, out of heart, and 

 hungry ; and stamping our feet at the door confronted the 

 country postman. 



There he was to the life as drawn in "The Winter Even- 

 ing." We had heard his horn twanging o'er yonder bridge 

 while we passed through the third meadow with the rods 

 slanting over our shoulders. He was the poet's "post" 

 with but a few touches of diflference. The boots were spat- 

 tered, and the waist strapped as of yore, but his locks were 

 not frozen for an obvious reason — it was not frosty weather ; 

 and 



" He whistles as he goes, light-hearted wretch.'' 



