onth without suffering from ennui--that is, of course, if he be fond
of fishing and shooting; if he is not he should avoid going there, for
it is the dullest coast town in New South Wales. The southern shore,
from the steamer wharf to opposite the bar, is lined with a hard beach,
on which at high tide, or slack water at low tide, one may sit down in
comfort and have great sport with bream, whiting, and flathead. As soon
as the tide turns, however, and is well on the ebb or flow, further
fishing is impossible, for the river rushes out to sea with great
velocity, and the incoming tide is almost as swift. On the other side of
the harbour is a long, sandy point, called the North Shore, about a mile
in length. This, at the north end, is met by a somewhat dense scrub,
which lines the right bank of the river for a couple of miles, and
affords a splendid shade to any one fishing on the river bank. The outer
or ocean beach is but a few minutes' walk from the river, and a
magnificent beach it is, trending in one great unbroken curve to Point
Plomer, seven miles from the township.

Before ascending the river on a fishing trip one has to provide one's
self with a plentiful supply of cockles, or "pippies," as they are
called locally. These can only be obtained on the northern ocean beach,
and not the least enjoyable part of a day's sport consists in getting
them. They are triangular in shape, with smooth shells of every
imaginable colour, though a rich purple is commonest. As the back wash
leaves the sands bare these bivalves may be seen in thick but irregular
patches protruding from the sand. Sometimes, if the tide is not low
enough, one may get rolled over by the surf if he happen to have his
back turned seaward. Generally I was accompanied by two boys, known as
"Condon's Twins." They were my landlord's sons, and certainly two of the
smartest young sportsmen--although only twelve years old--ever met with.
Both were very small for their age, and I was always in doubt as to
which was which. They were always delighted to come with me, and did not
mind being soused by a roller now and then when filling my "pippy" bag.
Pippies are the best bait one can have for whiting (except prawns) in
Australia, for, unlike the English whiting, it will not touch fish bait
of any sort, although, when very hungry, it will sometimes take to
octopus flesh. Bream (whether black or silvery), flathead, trevally,
jew-fish, and, indeed, all other fish obtaine