Besides the cattle, we saw no living things except a few birds and a great many fishermen.  These sat along the edges of the meadows, sometimes with one rod, sometimes with as many as half a score.  They seemed stupefied with contentment; and when we induced them to exchange a few words with us about the weather, their voices sounded quiet and far away.  There was a strange diversity of opinion among them as to the kind of fish for which they set their lures; although they were all agreed in this, that the river was abundantly supplied.  Where it was plain that no two of them had ever caught the same kind of fish, we could not help suspecting that perhaps not any one of them had ever caught a fish at all.  I hope, since the afternoon was so lovely, that they were one and all rewarded; and that a silver booty went home in every basket for the pot.  Some of my friends would cry shame on me for this; but I prefer a man, were he only an angler, to the bravest pair of gills in all God’s waters.  I do not affect fishes unless when cooked in sauce; whereas an angler is an important piece of river scenery, and hence deserves some recognition among canoeists.  He can always tell you where you are after a mild fashion; and his quiet presence serves to accentuate the solitude and stillness, and remind you of the glittering citizens below your boat.

The Sambre turned so industriously to and fro among his little hills, that it was past six before we drew near the lock at Quartes.  There were some children on the tow-path, with whom the Cigarette fell into a chaffing talk as they ran along beside us.  It was in vain that I warned him.  In vain I told him, in English, that boys were the most dangerous creatures; and if once you began with them, it was safe to end in a shower of stones.  For my own part, whenever anything was addressed to me, I smiled gently and shook my head as though I were an inoffensive person inadequately acquainted with French.  For indeed I have had such experience at home, that I would sooner meet many wild animals than a troop of healthy urchins.

But I was doing injustice to these peaceable young Hainaulters.  When the Cigarette went off to make inquiries, I got out upon the bank to smoke a pipe and superintend the boats, and became at once the centre of much amiable curiosity.  The children had been joined by this time by a young woman and a mild lad who had lost an arm; and this gave me more security.  When I let slip my first word or so in French, a little girl nodded her head with a comical grown-up air.  ‘Ah, you see,’ she said, ’he understands well enough now; he was just making believe.’  And the little group laughed together very good-naturedly.

They were much impressed when they heard we came from England; and the little girl proffered the information that England was an island ‘and a far way from here—­bien loin d’ici.’

‘Ay, you may say that, a far way from here,’ said the lad with one arm.