the complete angler-第28章

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The　MINNOW　hath；　when　he　is　in　perfect　season；　and　not　sick；　which　is　only　presently　after　spawning；　a　kind　of　dappled　or　waved　colour；　like　to　a　panther；　on　its　sides；　inclining　to　a　greenish　or　sky…colour；　his　belly　being　milk　white；　and　his　back　almost　black　or　blackish。　He　is　a　sharp　biter　at　a　small　worm；　and　in　hot　weather　makes　excellent　sport　for　young　anglers；　or　boys；　or　women　that　love　that　recreation。　And　in　the　spring　they　make　of　them　excellent　Minnow…tansies；　for　being　washed　well　in　salt；　and　their　heads　and　tails　cut　off；　and　their　guts　taken　out；　and　not　washed　after；　they　prove　excellent　for　that　use；　that　is；　being　fried　with　yolk　of　eggs；　the　flowers　of　cowslips　and　of　primroses；　and　a　little　tansy；　thus　used　they　make　a　dainty　dish　of　meat。

The　LOACH　is；　as　I　told　you；　a　most　dainty　fish：　he　breeds　and　feeds　in　little　and　clear　swift　brooks　or　rills；　and　lives　there　upon　the　gravel；　and　in　the　sharpest　streams：　he　grows　not　to　be　above　a　finger　long；　and　no　thicker　than　is　suitable　to　that　length　The　Loach　is　not　unlike　the　shape　of　the　Eel：　he　has　a　beard　or　wattles　like　a　barbel。　He　has　two　fins　at　his　sides；　four　at　his　belly；　and　one　et　his　tail；　he　is　dappled　with　many　black　or　brown　spots；　his　mouth　is　barbel…like　under　his　nose。　This　fish　is　usually　full　of　eggs　or　spawn；　and　is　by　Gesner；　and　other　learned　physicians；　commended　for　great　nourishment；　and　to　be　very　grateful　both　to　the　palate　and　stomach　of　sick　persons。　He　is　to　be　fished　for　with　a　very　small　worm；　at　the　bottom；　for　he　very　seldom；　or　never；　rises　above　the　gravel；　on　which　I　told　you　he　usually　gets　his　living。

The　MILLER'S…THUMB；　or　BULL…HEAD；　is　a　fish　of　no　pleasing　shape。　He　is　by　Gesner　compared　to　the　Sea…toad…fish；　for　his　similitude　and　shape。　It　has　a　head　big　and　flat；　much　greater　than　suitable　to　his　body；　a　mouth　very　wide；　and　usually　gaping；　he　is　without　teeth；　but　his　lips　are　very　rough；　much　like　to　a　file。　He　hath　two　fins　near　to　his　gills；　which　be　roundish　or　crested；　two　fins　also　under　the　belly；　two　on　the　back；　one　below　the　vent；　and　the　fin　of　his　tail　is　round。　Nature　hath　painted　the　body　of　this　fish　with　whitish；　blackish；　brownish　spots。　They　be　usually　full　of　eggs　or　spawn　all　the　summer；　I　mean　the　females；　and　those　eggs　swell　their　vents　almost　into　the　form　of　a　dug　They　begin　to　spawn　about　April；　and；　as　I　told　you；　spawn　several　months　in　the　summer。　And　in　the　winter；　the　Minnow；　and　Loach；　and　Bull…head　dwell　in　the　mud；　as　the　Eel　doth；　or　we　know　not　where；　no　more　than　we　know　where　the　cuckoo　and　swallow；　and　other　half…year　birds；　which　first　appear　to　us　in　April；　spend　their　six　cold；　winter；　melancholy　months。　This　BULL…HEAD　does　usually　dwell；　and　hide　himself；　in　holes；　or　amongst　stones　in　clear　water；　and　in　very　hot　days　will　lie　a　long　time　very　still；　and　sun　himself；　and　will　be　easy　to　be　seen　upon　any　flat　stone；　or　any　gravel；　at　which　time　he　will　suffer　an　angler　to　put　a　hook；　baited　with　a　small　worm；　very　near　unto　his　very　mouth：　and　he　never　refuses　to　bite；　nor　indeed　to　be　caught　with　the　worst　of　anglers。　Matthiolus　commends　him　much　more　for　his　taste　and　nourishment；　than　for　his　shape　or　beauty。

There　is　also　a　little　fish　called　a　STICKLEBAG；　a　fish　without　scales；　but　hath　his　body　fenced　with　several　prickles。　I　know　not　where　he　dwells　in　winter；　nor　what　he　is　good　for　in　summer；　but　only　to　make　sport　for　boys　and　women…anglers；　and　to　feed　other　fish　that　be　fish　of　prey；　as　Trouts　in　particular；　who　will　bite　at　him　as　at　a　Penk；　and　better；　if　your　hook　be　rightly　baited　with　him；　for　he　may　be　so　baited　as；　his　tail　turning　like　the　sail　of　a　wind…mill；　will　make　him　turn　more　quick　than　any　Penk　or　Minnow　can。　For　note；　that　the　nimble　turning　of　that；　or　the　Minnow　is　the　perfection　of　Minnow…fishing。　To　which　end；　if　you　put　your　hook　into　his　mouth；　and　out　at　his　tail；　and　then；　having　first　tied　him　with　white　thread　a　little　above　his　tail；　and　placed　him　after　such　a　manner　on　your　hook　as　he　is　like　to　turn　then　sew　up　his　mouth　to　your　line；　and　he　is　like　to　turn　quick；　and　tempt　any　Trout：　but　if　he　does　not　turn　quick；　then　turn　his　tail；　a　little　more　or　less；　towards　the　inner　part；　or　towards　the　side　of　the　hook；　or　put　the　Minnow　or　Sticklebag　a　little　more　crooked　or　more　straight　on　your　hook；　until　it　will　turn　both　true　and　fast；　and　then　doubt　not　but　to　tempt　any　great　Trout　that　lies　in　a　swift　stream。　And　the　Loach　that　I　told　you　of　will　do　the　like：　no　bait　is　more　tempting；　provided　the　Loach　be　not　too　big。

And　now；　scholar；　with　the　help　of　this　fine　morning；　and　your　patient　attention；　I　have　said　all　that　my　present　memory　will　afford　me；　concerning　most　of　the　several　fish　that　are　usually　fished　for　in　fresh　waters。

Venator。　But；　master；　you　have　by　your　former　civility　made　me　hope　that　you　will　make　good　your　promise；　and　say　something　of　the　several　rivers　that　be　of　most　note　in　this　nation；　and　also　of　fish…ponds；　and　the　ordering　of　them：　and　do　it　I　pray；　good　master；　for　I　love　any　discourse　of　rivers；　and　fish　and　fishing；　the　time　spent　in　such　discourse　passes　away　very　pleasantly





The　FIFTH　day…continued

Of　Rivers；　and　some　Observations　of　Fish

Chapter　XIX

Piscator

WELL；　scholar；　since　the　ways　and　weather　do　both　favour　us；　and　that　we　yet　see　not　'Tottenham…Cross；　you　shall　see　my　willingness　to　satisfy　your　desire。　And；　first；　for　the　rivers　of　this　nation：　there　be；　as　you　may　note　out　of　Dr。　Heylin's　Geography　and　others；　in　number　three　hundred　and　twenty…five；　but　those　of　chiefest　note　he　reckons　and　describes　as　followeth。

The　chief　is　THAMISIS；　compounded　of　two　rivers；　Thame　and　Isis；　whereof　the　former；　rising　somewhat　beyond　Thame　in　Buckinghamshire；　and　the　latter　near　Cirencester　in　Gloucestershire；　meet　together　about　Dorchester　in　Oxfordshire；　the　issue　of　which　happy　conjunction　is　Thamisis；　or　Thames；　hence　it　flieth　betwixt　Berks；　Buckinghamshire；　Middlesex；　Surrey；　Kent　and　Essex：　and　so　weddeth　itself　to　the　Kentish　Medway；　in　the　very　jaws　of　the　ocean。　This　glorious　river　feeleth　the　violence　and　benefit　of　the　sea　more　than　any　river　in　Europe；　ebbing　and　flowing；　twice　a　day；　more　than　sixty　miles；　about　whose　banks　are　so　many　fair　towns　and　princely　palaces；　that　a　German　poet　thus　truly　spake：

Tot　campos；　&c。　We　saw　so　many　woods　and　princely　bowers；　Sweet　fields；　brave　palaces；　and　stately　towers；　So　many　gardens　drest　with　curious　care；　That　Thames　with　royal　Tiber　may　compare。

2。　The　second　river　of　note　is　SABRINA　or　SEVERN：　it　hath　its　beginning　in　Plinilimmon…hill；　in　Montgomeryshire；　and　his　end　seven　miles　from　Bristol；　washing；　in　the　mean　space；　the　walls　of　Shrewsbury；　Worcester；　and　Gloucester；　and　divers　other　places　and　palaces　of　note。

3。　TRENT；　so　called　from　thirty　kind　of　fishes　that　are　found　in　it；　or　for　that　it　receiveth　thirty　lesser　rivers；　who　having　his　fountain　in　Staffordshire；　and　gliding　through　the　counties　of　Nottingham；　Lincoln；　Leicester；　and　York；　augmenteth　the　turbulent　current　of　Humber；　the　most　violent　stream　of　all　the　isle　This　Humber　is　not；　to　say　truth；　a　distinct　river　having　a　spring…head　of　his　own；　but　it　is　rather　the　mouth　or　aestuarium　of　divers　rivers　here　confluent　and　meeting　together；　namely；　your　Derwent；　and　especially　of　Ouse　and　Trent；　and；　as　the　Danow；　having　received　into　its　channel　the　river　Dravus；　Savus；　Tibiscus；　and　divers　others；　changeth　his　name　into　this　of　Humberabus；　as　the　old　geographers　call　it。

4。　MEDWAY；　a　Kentish　river；　famous　for　harbouring　the　royal　navy。

5。　TWEED；　the　north…east　bound　of　England；　on　whose　northern　banks　is　seated　the　strong　and　impregnable　town　of　Berwick。

6。　TYNE；　famous　for　Newcastle；　and　her　inexhaustible　coal…pits。　These；　and　the　rest　of　principal　note；　are　thus　comprehended　in　one　of　Mr。　Drayton's　Sonnets：

Our　floods'　queen；　Thames；　for　ships　and　swans　is　crown'd　And　stately　Severn　for　her　shore　is　prais'd；　The　crystal　Trent；　for　fords　and　fish　renown'd；　And　Avon's　fame　to　Albion's　cliffs　is　rais'd。

Carlegion　Chester　vaunts　her　holy　Dee；　York　many　wonders　of　her　Ouse　can　tell；　The　Peak；　her　Dove；　whose　banks　so　fertile　be；　And　Kent　will　say　her　Medway　doth　excel：

Cotswold　commends　her　Isis　to　the　Tame：　Our　northern　borders　boast　of　Tweed's　fair　flood；　Our　Western　parts　extol　their　Willy's　fame；　And　the　old　Lea　brags　of　the　Danish　blood。

These　observations　are　out　of　learned　Dr。　Heylin；　and　my　old　deceased　friend；　Michael　Drayton；　and　because　you　say　you　love　such　discourses　as　these；　of　rivers；　and　fish；　and　fishing；　I　love　you　the　better；　and　love　the　more　to　impart　them　to　you。　Nevertheless；　scholar；　if　I　should　begin　but　to　name　the　several　sorts　of　strange　fish　that　are　usually　taken　in　many　of　those　rivers　that　run　into　the　sea；　I　might　beget　wonder　in　you；　or　unbelief；　or　both：　and　yet　I　will　venture　to　tell　you　a　real　truth　concerning　one　lately　dissected　by　Dr。　Wharton；　a　man　of　great　learning　and　experience；　and　of　equal　freedom　to　communicate　it；　one　that　loves　me　and　my　art；　one　to　whom　I　have　been　beholden　for　many　of　the　choicest　observations　that　I　have　imparted　to　you。　This　good　man；　that　dares　do　anything　rather　than　tell　an　untruth；　did；　I　say；　tell　me　he　had　lately　dissected　one　strange　fish；　and　he　thus　described　it　to　me：

〃This　fish　was　almost　a　yard　broad；　and　twice　that　length；　his　mouth　wide　enough　to　receive；　or　take　into　it；　the　head　of　a　man；　his　stomach；　seven　or　eight　inches　broad。　He　is　of　a　slow　motion；　and　usually　lies　or　lurks　close　in　the　mud；　and　has　a　moveable　string　on　his　head；　about　a　span　or　near　unto　a　quarter　of　a　yard　long；　by　the　moving　of　which；　which　is　his　natural　bait；　when　he　lies　close　and　unseen　in　the　mud；　he　draws　other　smaller　fish　so　close　to　him；　that　he　can　suck　them　into　his　mouth；　and　so　devours　and　digests　them。〃

And；　scholar；　do　not　wonder　at　this；　for　besides　the　credit　of　the　relator；　you　are　to　note；　many　of　these；　and　fishes　which　are　of　the　like　and　more　unusual　shapes；　are　very　often　taken　on　the　mouths　of　our　sea　rivers；　and　on　the　sea　shore。　And　this　will　be　no　wonder　to　any　that　have　travelled　Egypt；　where；　'tis　known；　the　famous　river　Nilus　does　not　only　breed　fishes　that　yet　want　names；　but；　by　the　overflowing　of　that　river；　and　the　help　of　the　sun's　heat　on　the　fat　slime　which　the　river　leaves　on　the　banks　when　it　falls　back　into　its　natural　channel；　such　strange　fish　and　beasts　are　also　bred；　that　no　man　can　give　a　name　to；　as　Grotius　in　his　Sopham；　and　others；　have　observed。

But　whither　am　I　strayed　in　this　discourse。　I　will　end　it　by　telling　you；　that　at　the　mouth　of　some　of　these　rivers　of　ours；　Herrings　are　so　plentiful；　as　namely；　near　to　Yarmouth　in　Norfolk；　and　in　the　west　country　Pilchers　so　very　plentiful；　as　you　will　wonder　to　read　what　our　learned　Camden　relates　of　them　in　his　Britannia。

Well；　scholar；　I　will　stop　here；　and　tell　you　what　by　reading　and　conference　I　have　observed　concerning　fish…ponds。






The　FIFTH　day…continued

Of　Fish…Ponds

Chapter　XX

Piscator

DOCTOR　LEBAULT；　the　learned　Frenchman；　in　his　large　discourse　of　Maison　Rustique；　gives　this　direction　for　making　of　fish…ponds。　I　shall