GOOD FISHING. 169 teen, weighing 365 pounds, the largest being eight and ten pounds ; these were all caught in two draws. We did not use the net nearly as often as we had hoped to do when we left England, because we spent much less time on a river than we had expected. It was really hard work pulling it. We always drew it ourselves, but of course required a number of men to help. They were all fond enough of getting the fish to eat, but we always found them very loath to assist us in working the net.

The boat was of great assistance to us on these occasions, in paying out the net, and taking the rope across. The last part was always most exciting ; the fish, finding themselves getting into shallow water, would frequently leap over the net, even when it was held three or four feet above the surface of the water. The natives then required careful looking after ; and we used to scream ourselves hoarse in endeavouring to give them directions, as they would drop the net to pursue a single fish if they saw one escaping in the shallows, and so neglect looking after all the others. Sometimes a snag in the river would completely spoil what would otherwise have been a capital haul ; as, in freeing the net from the obstruction, most of the fish would escape. By far the best fishing we obtained during the winter was at the junction of Khor Meheteb with the Settite.

Here the river is dammed by huge rocks, and forms a deep pool about two miles in length.

On the evening of our arrival, Colvin went down to try his luck, taking with him some tackle that had already made the journey to Australia, and had not been improved by the voyage. About the first cast he had a run ; but after a short struggle the fish went off, taking with it the bait, a good-sized spoon. He put on another, and another, always with the same result ; and then, thinking he would try some we had brought