Fishes. 1069 



gines, and brought back three moderate sized trout, which in about twenty minutes 

 were smoking on the table. In spite of this universal demand, fish were plentiful ; 

 the fly-fisher had abundant sport, and universal civility from the very people whose 

 storehouse he was thus rifling. 



"It is probable that the indifference amongst us to fresh-water fish partly arises from 

 our ignorance of the best mode of cooking some species. Bream, which is the most 

 despised kind here, is, by the Dutch mode of cookery, made really savoury meat. Just 

 at this period, when we have a railroad completed through the centre of our fen dis- 

 trict, the thought naturally occurs, how far this may alter the demand for, and conse- 

 quently the supply of, fish. A pleasing little work, recently published by the Herr 

 Boccius, proves clearly what certain and considerable profit may be made by pools, 

 properly stocked and well managed; he shows by figures that a few acres are made 

 to produce a large rental. In the district of which these pages treat, the fishing of 

 fifty acres of water, stored with pike, perch, tench and eels, has been given to one man, 

 in lieu of parochial relief to his family, and the individual did not appear to consider 

 himself favoured by the arrangement. 



" Another point to be considered, is the great irregularity in the price offish in dif- 

 ferent places. Pike have indeed for years maintained a steady though not a high price 

 in this county ; but perch are often a drug in the market, commanding no price what- 

 ever, yet, from inquiry in London fish shops, few are more costly in the metropolis 

 than large perch. Were this known, and the demand made steady, many of our wa- 

 ters could easily furnish the supply required. Indeed, the very abundance of freshwa- 

 ter fish in Norfolk, is the cause of the comparative indifference with which they are re- 

 garded — what is very plentiful, is seldom very valuable on the spot where first produced. 

 The article in the Quarterly before alluded to, speaks of skate being often flung aside 

 as soon as caught in the west of England, when the neighbouring poor are in want of 

 food : bushels of roach, bream, and rud, are here left in the same manner, because 

 nobody will eat them. 



" They manage these matters with more discretion in France. When fishing some 

 years ago in Normandy, on a capital stream, a ' great logger-headed chub' used now 

 and then to make his appearance amongst the trout, which intruder on my fly I was 

 wont immediately to consign again to his element. Having just landed a large one, 

 and pushed him from the bank into the water, I heard a hurried exclamation from a 

 female voice behind me, of which nothing was distinct but the perpetual ' Mon Dieu.' 

 On inquiry, I found the poor woman perfectly horror struck at my thus flinging pearls 

 away ; I thought she was going to weep, as she explained, that had she but the charm- 

 ing fish which Monsieur had just dismissed so unceremoniously, she would have made 

 of it ' quelque chose superbe, magnifique.' To comfort her, I promised that should 

 any more visit me, they should be preserved, and she pointed out that I must pass her 

 cottage on my road homewards. In the evening I left three there, and on the follow- 

 ing day was as usual on the river bank, when I heard the same voice, and received a 

 most hearty invitation to dine off my own chub. As I had breakfasted early and was 

 sharp set, this was by no means disagreeable ; besides, I was curious to know what 

 kind of viand her cookery would make of this fish. It was as she had promised, very 

 good; the scales and bones were absent, the watery taste was all gone, the flesh was firm 

 and sweet in flavour, and altogether it might be regarded as a real victory achieved by 

 the cuisiniere over stubborn materials. I have mentioned this anecdote, to show what 

 a little pains in cooking will do for even chub, the coarsest of fish. The rud, which is 



