the complete angler-第9章

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time。　Have　but　a　love　to　it；　and　I'll　warrant　you。

Venator。　But；　master！　what　if　I　could　not　have　found　a　grasshopper？

Piscator。　Then　I　may　tell　you；　That　a　black　snail；　with　his　belly　slit；　to　show　his　white；　or　a　piece　of　soft　cheese；　will　usually　do　as　well。　Nay；　sometimes　a　worm；　or　any　kind　of　fly；　as　the　ant…fly；　the　flesh…fly；　or　wall…fly；　or　the　dor　or　beetle　which　you　may　find　under　cow…dung；　or　a　bob　which　you　will　find　in　the　same　place；　and　in　time　will　be　a　beetle；　it　is　a　short　white　worm；　like　to　and　bigger　than　a　gentle；　or　a　cod…　worm；　or　a　case…worm；　any　of　these　will　do　very　well　to　fish　in　such　a　manner。

And　after　this　manner　you　may　catch　a　Trout　in　a　hot　evening：　when；　as　you　walk　by　a　brook；　and　shall　see　or　hear　him　leap　at　flies；　then；　if　you　get　a　grasshopper；　put　it　on　your　hook；　with　your　line　about　two　yards　long；　standing　behind　a　bush　or　tree　where　his　hole　is：　and　make　your　bait　stir　up　and　down　on　the　top　of　the　water。　You　may；　if　you　stand　close；　be　sure　of　a　bite；　but　not　sure　to　catch　him；　for　he　is　not　a　leather…　mouthed　fish。　And　after　this　manner　you　may　fish　for　him　with　almost　any　kind　of　live　fly；　but　especially　with　a　grasshopper。

Venator。　But　before　you　go　further；　I　pray；　good　master；　what　mean　you　by　a　leather…mouthed　fish　？

Piscator。　By　a　leather…mouthed　fish；　I　mean　such　as　have　their　teeth　in　their　throat；　as　the　Chub　or　Cheven：　and　so　the　Barbel；　the　Gudgeon；　and　Carp；　and　divers　others　have。　And　the　hook　being　stuck　into　the　leather；　or　skin；　of　the　mouth　of　such　fish；　does　very　seldom　or　never　lose　its　hold：　but　on　the　contrary；　a　Pike；　a　Perch；　or　Trout；　and　so　some　other　fish；　which　have　not　their　teeth　in　their　throats；　but　in　their　mouths；　which　you　shall　observe　to　be　very　full　of　bones；　and　the　skin　very　thin；　and　little　of　it。　I　say；　of　these　fish　the　hook　never　takes　so　sure　hold　but　you　often　lose　your　fish；　unless　he　have　gorged　it。

Venator。　I　thank　you；　good　master；　for　this　observation。　But　now　what　shall　be　done　with　my　Chub　or　Cheven　that　I　have　caught　？

Piscator。　Marry；　Sir；　it　shall　be　given　away　to　some　poor　body；　for　I'll　warrant　you　I'll　give　you　a　Trout　for　your　supper：　and　it　is　a　good　beginning　of　your　art　to　offer　your　first…fruits　to　the　poor；　who　will　both　thank　you　and　God　for　it；　which　I　see　by　your　silence　you　seem　to　consent　to。　And　for　your　willingness　to　part　with　it　so　charitably；　I　will　also　teach　more　concerning　Chub…fishing。　You　are　to　note；　that　in　March　and　April　he　is　usually　taken　with　worms；　in　May；　June；　and　July；　he　will　bite　at　any　fly；　or　at　cherries；　or　at　beetles　with　their　legs　and　wings　cut　off；　or　at　any　kind　of　snail；　or　at　the　black　bee　that　breeds　in　clay　walls。　And　he　never　refuses　a　grasshopper；　on　the　top　of　a　swift　stream；　nor；　at　the　bottom；　the　young　humble　bee　that　breeds　in　long　grass；　and　is　ordinarily　found　by　the　mower　of　it。　In　August；　and　in　the　cooler　months；　a　yellow　paste；　made　of　the　strongest　cheese；　and　pounded　in　a　mortar；　with　a　little　butter　and　saffron；　so　much　of　it　as；　being　beaten　small；　will　turn　it　to　a　lemon　colour。　And　some　make　a　paste　for　the　winter　months；　at　which　time　the　Chub　is　accounted　best；　for　then　it　is　observed；　that　the　forked　bones　are　lost；　or　turned　into　a　kind　of　gristle；　especially　if　he　be　baked；　of　cheese　and　turpentine。　He　will　bite　also　at　a　minnow；　or　peek；　as　a　Trout　will：　of　which　I　shall　tell　you　more　hereafter；　and　of　divers　other　baits。　But　take　this　for　a　rule；　that；　in　hot　weather；　he　is　to　be　fished　for　towards　the　mid…water；　or　near　the　top；　and　in　colder　weather；　nearer　the　bottom；　and　if　you　fish　for　him　on　the　top；　with　a　beetle；　or　any　fly；　then　be　sure　to　let　your　line　be　very　long；　and　to　keep　out　of　sight。　And　having　told　you；　that　his　spawn　is　excellent　meat；　and　that　the　head　of　a　large　Cheven；　the　throat　being　well　washed；　is　the　best　part　of　him；　I　will　say　no　more　of　this　fish　at　the　present；　but　wish　you　may　catch　the　next　you　fish　for。

But；　lest　you　may　judge　me　too　nice　in　urging　to　have　the　Chub　dressed　so　presently　after　he　is　taken；　I　will　commend　to　your　consideration　how　curious　former　times　have　been　in　the　like　kind。

You　shall　read　in　Seneca；　his　Natural　Questions；　that　the　ancients　were　so　curious　in　the　newness　of　their　fish；　that　that　semed　not　new　enough　that　was　not　put　alive　into　the　guest's　hand；　and　he　says；　that　to　that　end　they　did　usually　keep　them　living　in　glass　bottles　in　their　dining…rooms；　and　they　did　glory　much　in　their　entertaining　of　friends；　to　have　that　fish　taken　from　under　their　table　alive　that　was　instantly　to　be　fed　upon；　and　he　says；　they　took　great　pleasure　to　see　their　Mullets　change　to　several　colours　when　they　were　dying。　But　enough　of　this；　for　I　doubt　I　have　staid　too　long　from　giving　you　some　Observations　of　the　Trout；　and　how　to　fish　for　him；　which　shall　take　up　the　next　of　my　spare　time。



The　third　day　…　continued


On　the　Nature　and　Breeding　of　the　Trout；　and　how　to　fish　for　him





Chapter　IV



Piscator；　Venator；　Milk…woman；　Maudlin；　Hostess


Piscator。　The　Trout　is　a　fish　highly　valued；　both　in　this　and　foreign　nations。　He　may　be　justly　said；　as　the　old　poet　said　of　wine；　and　we　English　say　of　venison；　to　be　a　generous　fish：　a　fish　that　is　so　like　the　buck；　that　he　also　has　his　seasons；　for　it　is　observed；　that　he　comes　in　and　goes　out　of　season　with　the　stag　and　buck。　Gesner　says；　his　name　is　of　a　German　offspring；　and　says　he　is　a　fish　that　feeds　clean　and　purely；　in　the　swiftest　streams；　and　on　the　hardest　gravel；　and　that　he　may　justly　contend　with　all　fresh　water　fish；　as　the　Mullet　may　with　all　sea　fish；　for　precedency　and　daintiness　of　taste；　and　that　being　in　right　season；　the　most　dainty　palates　have　allowed　precedency　to　him。

And　before　I　go　farther　in　my　discourse；　let　me　tell　you；　that　you　are　to　observe；　that　as　there　be　some　barren　does　that　are　good　in　summer；　so　there　be　some　barren　Trouts　that　are　good　in　winter；　but　there　are　not　many　that　are　so；　for　usually　they　be　in　their　perfection　in　the　month　of　May；　and　decline　with　the　buck。　Now　you　are　to　take　notice；　that　in　several　countries；　as　in　Germany；　and　in　other　parts；　compared　to　ours；　fish　do　differ　much　in　their　bigness；　and　shape；　and　other　ways；　and　so　do　Trouts。　It　is　well　known　that　in　the　Lake　Leman；　the　Lake　of　Geneva；　there　are　Trouts　taken　of　three　cubits　long；　as　is　affirmed　by　Gesner；　a　writer　of　good　credit：　and　Mercator　says；　the　Trouts　that　are　taken　in　the　Lake　of　Geneva　are　a　great　part　of　the　merchandize　of　that　famous　city。　And　you　are　further　to　know；　that　there　be　certain　waters　that　breed　Trouts　remarkable；　both　for　their　number　and　smallness。　I　know　a　little　brook　in　Kent；　that　breeds　them　to　a　number　incredible；　and　you　may　take　them　twenty　or　forty　in　an　hour；　but　none　greater　than　about　the　size　of　a　Gudgeon。　There　are　also；　in　divers　rivers；　especially　that　relate　to；　or　be　near　to　the　sea；　as　Winchester；　or　the　Thames　about　Windsor；　a　little　Trout　called　a　Samlet；　or　Skegger　Trout；　in　both　which　places　I　have　caught　twenty　or　forty　at　a　standing；　that　will　bite　as　fast　and　as　freely　as　Minnows：　these　be　by　some　taken　to　be　young　Salmons；　but　in　those　waters　they　never　grow　to　be　bigger　than　a　Herring。

There　is　also　in　Kent；　near　to　Canterbury；　a　Trout　called　there　a　Fordidge　Trout；　a　Trout　that　bears　the　name　of　the　town　where　it　is　usually　caught；　that　is　accounted　the　rarest　of　fish；　many　of　them　near　the　bigness　of　a　Salmon；　but　known　by　their　different　colour；　and　in　their　best　season　they　cut　very　white：　and　none　of　these　have　been　known　to　be　caught　with　an　angle；　unless　it　were　one　that　was　caught　by　Sir　George　Hastings；　an　excellent　angler；　and　now　with　God：　and　he　hath　told　me；　he　thought　that　Trout　bit　not　for　hunger　but　wantonness；　and　it　is　the　rather　to　be　believed；　because　both　he；　then；　and　many　others　before　him；　have　been　curious　to　search　into　their　bellies；　what　the　food　was　by　which　they　lived；　and　have　found　out　nothing　by　which　they　might　satisfy　their　curiosity。

Concerning　which　you　are　to　take　notice；　that　it　is　reported　by　good　authors；　that　grasshoppers　and　some　fish　have　no　mouths；　but　are　nourished　and　take　breath　by　the　porousness　of　their　gills；　man　knows　not　how：　and　this　may　be　believed；　if　we　consider　that　when　the　raven　hath　hatched　her　eggs；　she　takes　no　further　care；　but　leaves　her　young　ones　to　the　care　of　the　God　of　nature；　who　is　said；　in　the　Psalms；　〃to　feed　the　young　ravens　that　call　upon　him　〃。　And　they　be　kept　alive　and　fed　by　a　dew；　or　worms　that　breed　in　their　nests；　or　some　other　ways　that　we　mortals　know　not。　And　this　may　be　believed　of　the　Fordidge　Trout；　which；　as　it　is　said　of　the　stork；　that　he　knows　his　season；　so　he　knows　his　times；　I　think　almost　his　day　of　coming　into　that　river　out　of　the　sea；　where　he　lives；　and；　it　is　like；　feeds；　nine　months　of　the　year；　and　fasts　three　in　the　river　of　Fordidge。　And　you　are　to　note；　that　those　townsmen　are　very　punctual　in　observing　the　time　of　beginning　to　fish　for　them；　and　boast　much；　that　their　river　affords　a　Trout　that　exceeds　all　others。　And　just　so　does　Sussex　boast　of　several　fish；　as；　namely；　a　Shelsey　Cockle；　a　Chichester　Lobster；　an　Arundel　Mullet；　and　an　Amerly　Trout。

And；　now；　for　some　confirmation　of　the　Fordidge　Trout：　you　are　to　know　that　this　Trout　is　thought　to　eat　nothing　in　the　fresh　water；　and　it　may　be　the　better　believed；　because　it　is　well　known；　that　swallows；　and　bats；　and　wagtails；　which　are　called　half…year　birds；　and　not　seen　to　fly　in　England　for　six　months　in　the　year；　but　about　Michaelmas　leave　us　for　a　hotter　climate；　yet　some　of　them　that　have　been　left　behind　their　fellows；　have　been　found；　many　thousands　at　a　time；　in　hollow　trees；　or　clay　caves；　where　they　have　been　observed　to　live；　and　sleep　out　the　whole　winter；　without　meat。　And　so　Albertus　observes；　That　there　is　one　kind　of　frog　that　hath　her　mouth　naturally　shut　up　about　the　end　of　August；　and　that　she　lives　so　all　the　winter：　and　though　it　be　strange　to　some；　yet　it　is　known　to　too　many　among　us　to　be　doubted。

And　so　much　for　these　Fordidge　Trouts；　which　never　afford　an　angler　sport；　but　either　live　their　time　of　being　in　the　fresh　water；　by　their　meat　formerly　gotten　in　the　sea；　not　unlike　the　swallow　or　frog；　or；　by　the　virtue　of　the　fresh　water　only；　or；　as　the　birds　of　Paradise　and　the　cameleon　are　said　to　live；　by　the　sun　and　the　air。

There　is　also　in　Northumberland　a　Trout　called　a　Bull…trout；　of　a　much　greater　length　and　bigness　than　any　in　these　southern　parts；　and　there　are；　in　many　rivers　that　relate　to　the　sea；　Salmon…trouts；　as　much　different　from　others；　both　in　shape　and　in　their　spots；　as　we　see　sheep　in　some　countries　differ　one　from　another　in　their　shape　and　bigness；　and　in　the　fineness　of　the　wool：　and；　certainly；　as　some　pastures　breed　larger　sheep；　so　do　some　rivers；　by　reason　of　the　ground　over　which　they　run；　breed　larger　Trouts。

Now　the　next　thing　that　I　will　commend　to　your　consideration　is；　that　the　Trout　is　of　a　more　sudden　growth　than　other　fish。　Concerning　which；　you　are　also　to　take　notice；　that　he　lives　not　so　long　as　the　Pearch；　and　divers　other　fishes　do；　as　Sir　Francis　Bacon　hath　observed　in　his　History　of　　Life　and　Death。

And　ne