:

fresh rivers; as, namely, the Lamprel, the Lamprey, and the Lamperne as also of the mighty Conger, taken often in Severn, about Gloucester: and might also tell in what high esteem many of them are for the curiosity of their taste. But these are not so proper to be talked of by me, because they make us anglers no sport; therefore I will let them alone, as the Jews do, to whom they are forbidden by their law.

And, scholar, there is also a Flounder, a sea-fish which will wander very far into fresh rivers, and there lose himself and dwell, and thrive to a hand's breadth, and almost twice so long; a fish without scales, and most excellent meat, and a fish that affords much sport to the angler, with any small worm, but especially a little bluish worm, gotten out of marsh ground or meadows, which should be well scoured.* But this, though it be most excellent meat, yet it wants scales, and is, as I told you, therefore an abomination to the Jews.

But, scholar, there is a fish that they in Lancashire boast very much of, called a Char; taken there, (and I think there only, t) in a mere called Winander Mere; "a mere," says Camden, "that is the largest in this nation, being ten miles in length, and, some say, as smooth in the bottom as if it were paved with polished marble."

The taking Flounders with a rod and line is a thing so accidental, that it is hardly worth the mention. The same may be said of Smelts, which, in the Thames, and other great rivers, are caught with a bit of any small fish, but chiefly of their own species. In the month of August, about the year 1720, such vast quantities of Smelts came up the Thames, that women, and even children, became anglers for them; and, as I have been told by persons who well remember it, in one day, between London bridge and Greenwich, not fewer than two thousand persons were thus employed.

This is not correct; for the Char, of which there are two species, is found in several of our lakes. I have dined deliciously on those caught in Buttermere in Cumberland.-J. R.

L

back. But this, though I do not know whether it make the angler sport, yet I would have you take notice of it, because it is a rarity, and of so high esteem with persons of great note.

Nor would I have you ignorant of a rare fish called a Guiniad, of which I shall tell you what Camden and others speak. The river Dee, which runs by Chester, springs in Merionethshire; and, as it runs toward Chester, it runs through Pemble-Mere, which is a large water: and it is observed, that though the river Dee abounds with Salmon, and Pemble-Mere with the Guiniad, yet there is never any Salmon caught in the mere, nor a Guiniad in the river. And now my next observation shall be of the Barbel.

CHAPTER XIV.

OBSERVATIONS OF THE BARBEL, AND DIRECTIONS HOW TO
FISH FOR HIM.

Piscator. THE Barbel is so called, says Gesner, by reason of his barb, or wattles, at his mouth, which are under his nose, or chaps. He is one of those leather-mouthed fishes that I told you of, that does very seldom break his hold if he be once hooked but he is so strong, that he will often break both rod and line, if he proves to be a big one.

But the Barbel, though he be of a fine shape, and looks big, yet he is not accounted the best fish to eat, neither for his wholesomeness nor his taste; but the male is reputed much better than the female, whose spawn is very hurtful, as I will presently declare to you.

They flock together like sheep, and are at the worst in April, about which time they spawn; but quickly grow to be in

This, though generally true, does not hold always.-J. R.

season. He is able to live in the strongest swifts of the water; and in summer, they love the shallowest and sharpest streams; and love to lurk under weeds, and to feed on gravel, against a rising ground, and will root and dig in the sands with his nose like a hog, and there nests himself; yet sometimes he retires to deep and swift bridges, or floodgates, or weirs, where he will nest himself amongst piles, or hollow places; and take such hold of moss or weeds, that be the water never so swift, it is not able to force him from the place that he contends for. This is his constant custom in summer, when he and most living creatures sport themselves in the sun: but at the approach of winter, then he forsakes the swift streams and shallow waters, and by degrees retires to those parts of the river that are quiet and deeper, in which places, and I think about that time, he spawns; and, as I have formerly told you, with the help of the melter, hides his spawn, or eggs, in holes, which they both dig in the gravel: and then they mutually labour to cover it with the same sand, to prevent it from being devoured by other fish.

There be such store of this fish in the river Danube, that Rondeletius says, they may, in some places of it, and in some months of the year, be taken by those who dwell near to the river, with their hands, eight or ten load at a time. He says they begin to be good in May, and that they cease to be so in August but it is found to be otherwise in this nation. But thus far we agree with him, that the spawn of a Barbel, if it be not poison, as he says, yet that it is dangerous meat, and especially in the month of May; which is so certain, that Gesner and Gasius declare it had an ill effect upon them, even to the endangering of their lives.*

This fish is of a fine cast and handsome shape, with small scales, which are placed after a most exact and curious manner; and, as I told you, may be rather said not to be ill, than to be good meat. The Chub and he have, I think, both lost part of their credit by ill cookery, they being reputed the worst, or coarsest, of fresh water fish. But the Barbel aflords an angler choice sport, being a lusty and a cunning fish-so lusty and cunning as to endanger the breaking of the angler's line, by running his head forcibly towards any covert, or hole, or bank,

Though the spawn of the Barbel is known to be of a poisonous nature, yet it is often taken by country people medicinally, who find it at once a most powerful emetic and cathartic. And, notwithstanding what is said of the wholesomeness of the flesh, with some constitutions it produces the same effects as the spawn. About the month of September, in the year 1754, a servant of mine, who had eaten part of a Barbel, though, as I had cautioned him, he abstained from the spawn, was seized with such a violent purging and vomiting, as had like to have cost him his life.-H.

The same is true of most fish, more particularly sea fish, which are at times found to become poisonous; but the cause has never been discovered. J. R.

and then striking at the line, to break it off, with his tail, as is observed by Plutarch in his book, De industria Animalium; and also so cunning, to nibble and suck off your worm close to the hook, and yet avoid the letting the hook come into his mouth.

The Barbel is also curious for his baits; that is to say, that they be clean and sweet; that is to say, to have your worms well scoured, and not kept in sour and musty moss, for he is a curious feeder: but at a well scoured lob-worm he will bite as boldly as at any bait, and especially if, the night or two before you fish for him, you shall bait the places where you intend to fish for him, with big worms cut into pieces.* And note, that none did ever over-bait the place, nor fish too early or too late for a Barbel. And the Barbel will bite also at gentles, which, not being too much scoured, but green, are a choice bait for him and so is cheese, which is not to be too hard, but kept a day or two in a wet linen cloth, to make it tough: with this you may also bait the water a day or two before you fish for the Barbel, and be much the likelier to catch store; and if the cheese were laid in clarified honey a short time before, as namely, an hour or two, you were still the likelier to catch fish. Some have directed to cut the cheese into thin pieces, and toast it, and then tie it on the hook with fine silk. And some advise to fish for the Barbel with sheep's tallow and soft cheese, beaten or worked into a paste; and that it is choicely good in August; and I believe it. But, doubtless, the lobworm well scoured, and the gentle not too much scoured, and cheese ordered as I have directed, are baits enough, and I think will serve in any month; though I shall commend any angler that tries conclusions, and is industrious to improve the art. And now, my honest scholar, the long shower, and my tedious discourse are both ended together and I shall give you but this observation, that when yon fish for a Barbel, your rod and line be both long and of good strength; for, as I told you, you will find him a heavy and a dogged fish to be dealt withal; yet he seldom or never breaks his hold, if he be once strucken. And if you would know more of fishing for the Umber, or Barbel, † get into favour with Dr Sheldon, whose skill is above

Graves, (which are the sediment of tallow melted for the making of candles,) cut into pieces, are an excellent ground-bait for Barbel, Gudgeons, Roach, and many other fish, if thrown in the night before you angle.

Of the haunts of the Barbel, the author has spoke sufficiently. Barbel spawn about the middle of April, and grow in season about a month after. Baits for Barbel, other than what Walton has mentioned, are the young brood of wasps, hornets, and humble bees.

In fishing for him, use a very strong rod, and a silk line with a shot and a bullet, as directed for the Trout. Some use a cork float, which, if you

others; and of that, the poor that dwell about him have a comfortable experience.

And now let's go and see what interest the Trouts will pay us for letting our angle-rods lie so long and so quietly in the water for their use. Come, scholar, which will you take up? Venator. Which you think fit, master.

Piscator. Why, you shall take up that; for I am certain, by viewing the line, it has a fish at it. Look you, scholar! well done! Come, now, take up the other too: well, now you may tell my brother Peter, at night, that you have caught a leash of

do, be sure to fish as close to the bottom as possible, so as the bait does not touch the ground.

In angling for lesser fish, the angler will sometimes find it a misfortune to hook a Barbel; a fish so sullen that, with fine tackle, it is scarcely possible to land one twelve inches long.

A lover of angling told me the following story:- He was fishing in the river Lea, at the ferry called Jeremy's, and had hooked a large fish at the time when some Londoners, with their horses, were passing: they congratulated him on his success, and got out of the ferry-boat; but, finding the fish not likely to yield, mounted their horses and rode off. The fact was, that angling for small fish, his bait had been taken by a Barbel too big for the fisher to manage. Not caring to risk his tackle, by attempting to raise him, he hoped to tire him, and, to that end, suffered himself to be led (to use his own expression) as a blind man is by his dog, several yards up, and as many down the bank of the river, in short, for so many hours, that the horsemen above mentioned (who had been at Walthamstow, and dined) were returned; who, seeing him thus occupied, cried out, "What, master another large fish?"-"No," says Piscator, "it is the very same."-"Nay," says one of them, "that can never be; for it is five hours since we crossed the river." And not believing him, they rode on their way. At length our angler determined to do that which a less patient one would have done long before: he made one vigorous effort to land his fish, broke his tackle, and lost him.

Fishing for Barbel is, at best, but a dull recreation. They are a sullen fish, and bite but slowly. The angler drops in his bait; the bullet, at the bottom of the line, fixes it to one spot of the river. Tired with waiting for a bite, he generally lays down his rod, and, exercising the patience of a setting dog, waits till he sees the top of the rod move; then begins a struggle between him and the fish, which he calls his sport; and that being over, he lands his prize, fresh baits his hook, and lays in for another.

Living, some years ago, in a village on the banks of the Thames, I was used, in the summer months, to be much in a boat on the river. It chanced that, at Shepperton, where I had been for a few days, I frequently passed an elderly gentleman in his boat, who appeared to be fishing, at different stations, for Barbel. After a few salutations had passed between us, and we were become a little acquainted, I took occasion to inquire of him what diversion he had met with? "Sir," says he, "I have had but bad luck to-day, for I fish for Barbel, and you know they are not to be caught like Gudgeons.""It is very true," answered I; "but what you want in tale, I suppose you make up by weight."-"Why, sir," says he, "that is just as it happens: it is true I like the sport, and love to catch fish, but my great delight is in going after them. I'll tell you what, sir," continued he; "I am a man in years, and have used the sea all my life," (he had been an India captain,) " but I mean to go no more; and have bought that little house which you see there," (pointing to it,) "for the sake of fishing. I get into this boat," (which he was then mopping,)" on a Monday morning, and fish on till Saturday night, for Barbel, as I told you, for that is my delight; and this I have done for a month together, and in all that while have not had one bite."