TOM WILLIAMS—STEUART, &c. Bus.

367

called a Londra . In fact, lie must, at first, have oneof the people of the place to take him about the in-tricacies of the little canals and wilds of reeds, and forestsof myrtles. The river has properly speaking no banks,there being twenty feet depth of water under the floatingmasses of reeds that form the apparent margin of thewater. Here and there are solid masses on which a manor several may stand, and by a judicious application of thesickle, in removing the reeds before you, and making aclear space, the dense body of reeds around will forma comfortable shade during the greater portion of theday. It is well to fix upon and keep to a “post,” as weused to call our fishing stands, a due regard being had tothe depth of water, absence of weeds, &c. This spot beingground-baited with boiled grain, &c., every day, thousandsof fish will congregate around it, and you will have nointerruption to your sport. The best baits are “gentles”for the roach; for the tench I used either a large lobworm,or a lump of paste properly worked up with cotton wool,of the size of a large cherry. Williams, Gill, and myselfbeing each furnished with his canoe or “ Londra, ” used totake our stations with the “ Londra ” beside us. I fishedwith three rods, one in hand for roach, which were usuallycaught three at a time as fast as you please. A long rod oneach side of me for tench, of which we have each caught ahundred weight in a day.

The waters abounding with fine eels, I devised a methodof laying night lines which would not allow these twistinggentlemen the power of holding by the reeds and tearingthemselves or the tackle to pieces. I got a cord like aclothes line, sixty yards long, and to it attached with slipknots, fifty lines with hooks, that hung very near to thebottom. Before going home in the evening I baited allthese lines with pieces of skinned frogs in preference to