tie each parcel to a bit of fine twine, about fix inches long, doubled, and put through the hooks which impend from the machine: then take a piece of lead of à conical figure two inches high, and two in diameter at the base, with a hook at the apex, or point; tie your three parcels of hair into one knot, and to this by the hook hang the weight.

Laftly. Take a common bottle cork, and into the fides, at equal diftances, cut three grooves; and placing it fo as to receive each divifion of hairs, begin to twift. You will then find the links twift with great evenness at the lead: as it grows tighter fhift the cork a little upwards, and when the whole is fufficiently twifted, take out the cork, and tie the links into a knot, and fo proceed till you have twifled links fufficient for your line, obferving to leffen the number of hairs in each link, in fuch proportion that the line may be taper.

Your links thus prepared, tie them together into a water knot; then cut off the fhort ends, about a firaw's breadth from the knot, and then whip fome waxed filk about the knots, which is much better than inclofing them with wax.

Never, either at ground or fly angling, fix any hooks to a line that confifts of more than three or four links at the moft; but always make a fmall loop at the top and bottom of your line, the use of the one is to faften it to your rod, and of the other, to affix or remove your armed hooks. The line fhould always be leaded according to the rapidity or quietnefs of the river you angle in; therefore, as nearly as you can guefs, always lead it in fuch manner as will fink the bait to the bottom, and permit its motion, without any violent jogging on the ground. Carry the top of your rod even with your hand, beginning at the head of the ftream, and letting the bait run downwards, as far as the rod and line will permit, the lead dragging and rolling on the ground. No

more

more of the line must be in the water than will permit the lead to touch the bottom; for you are to keep the line as ftrait as poffible, yet so as not to raife the lead from the bottom. When you have a bite, you may perceive it by your hand and the point of your rod and line: then ftrike gently and upwards, if you cannot tell which way the fifh's head lies, but if you can the contrary way from where it does; first allowing the fifh, by a little flackening the line, a fmall time to pouch the bait. This is called angling by hand, and is very killing for trout, grayling, &c. I fhall treat of Float Fishing under the defcription

of each fish.

As for your Fishing Hooks, they ought to be made of the beft tempered fteel wire, longifh in the fhank, and fomewhat thick in the circumference, the point even, and ftrait, let the bending be in the fhank. For fetting on the hook, or more scientifically fpeaking, arming it, ufe ftrong but small filk, lightly waxed with fhoe-maker's wax; and lay the hair on the inside of the hook, for if it be on the outfide, the filk will fret and cut it asunder. There are

feveral fizes of hooks, large ones and finall ones made according to the fishes they are defigned to take, which, when I come to treat of the different fish, the number of the hook proper for each will be fully expreffed.

Floats, for angling, are of divers kinds: fome made of Muscovy Duck quills, which are the best for flow waters, but for strong streams, found cork, without flaws or holes, bored through with an hot iron, into which is put a quill of fit proportion, is preferable; pare the cork to a pyramidal form, grind it fmooth with a pumice ftone, then colour it according to your fancy. Floats, whether quill or cork, muft be poised with fhot, when on the line, as to make. them cock, that is, ftand perpendicular in the water, that the leaft nibble, or bite may be apparent. C

When

When a float is fplit or bruifed, there is no remedy for the mifchance, but getting a new one, but you may fave the plug, and it will ferve for another. But if the water gets in at the top of your float, a little fealing-wax will prevent it: if the plug of your float is loofe, pull it out, and faften it with one of the . following cements.

Take bees wax bruifed fmall, chalk fcraped fine, and black rofin powdered, of each an equal quantity; melt them in a spoon, or any small tin veffel, and fee that they are well mixed; or, take brick-duft fifted very fine, and common rofin, pulverifed; put one part of brick duft to two parts of rohin, and melt them as before directed; dip your plug in either of these, and put your float immediately upon it. When you join two floats together, let the plug be a little thicker in the middle than at the ends, which ends are to go into the quills: dip one end into the cement, and put one quill upon it; then do the like by the other, and you have a double float: or, you may make it by dipping the ends of both quills, when prepared, in the cement, and fixing them together, which, when the cement is cold, will be very ftrong.

To dye quills red, which for ftill waters are better than any other floats, take what quantity you please of urine, and put in it as much powder of Brazilwood as will make it redden a piece of white paper; then take fome clean water, into which put an handful of falt, and a little argol, and ftir them till diffolved; then boil them well in a fauce. pan. When the water is cold, fcrape your quills, and steep them in it for ten or twelve days, then dry them, and rub them with a linen cloth.

The materials moft neceffary for an angler to have out with him, and which may be all carried in his pockets, are, lines coiled up. Spare links. Two worm bags, one for brandlings, &c. and the other for lob-worms. A plummet to fix the depth of the water,

of

of a pyramidal form. A gentle box. Floats and Spare caps. Split fhot. Shoe-maker's wax in a piece of leather. Silk. Hooks, fome whipped on and fome loofe. A clearing ring, which is of use to difengage the hook when entangled. A landing net, to land large fish with, and which are made with joints to fold up in a fmall compafs. The difgorger, which when a fish has gorged the hook, by putting it down his throat, till you touch the hook, at the fame time pulling the line, it will eafily come away.

CHAP III.

The general Baits ufed in Angling, where found, and how preferved.

TH

HE reader being furnished with the best rules, relative to his rods, lines, hooks, &c. I fhall give him a lift of the baits in general of ufe in angling; but shall not enter into a minute detail of them, as fome authors on the fame fubject have done, but give him the general baits, and leave him to make his exceptions himfelf; which will prove more pleafant to him by his making the trial of different baits himself, and not puzzle him by overloading his memory; neither fhall I fet down the fishes they are beft calculated for taking; which would only be a repetition of what he will find fully digested, by actual experience, under the description of each fish.

The Lob-worm, Dew-worm, Garden-worm, Twatchel, or Treachet.

Found in a garden or church-yard, late in a fummer's evening, with a lanthorn; when the fummer proves

C 2

a very

a very dry one, they may be forced out of their holes, with the liquor produced by bruising walnut-tree leaves in water: the best of these, are those which have a red head, a ftreak down the back, and a broad tail, from which they derive the name of Squirrel

tails.

Brandlings, Gilt-tails, and Red-worms,

Found in old dunghills, rotten earth, cows dung, hogs dung; but the best are thofe to be met with in tanner's bark after it is thrown by.

Marfh, or Meadow-worm,'

Found in marfhy ground, or the fertile banks of rivers, are a little blueish, require more fcouring than the brandling or gilt tail, and are taken from Candlemas until Michaelmas.

Tag-tail,

Found in marled lands, or meadows after a fhower of rain; or early in the morning in March or April, if the weather is mild and temperate; and is a most excellent bait.

How to fcour and preferve worms.

Get a quantity of mofs, the best is that which is foft and white, and grows on heaths, but as this is fcarce to be had in fome parts, in lieu of it any kind that is fresh and sweet; rinse it well from the earth that hangs about, and then wring it very dry; put your worms, and it, into an earthen pot, cover it clofe that they do not crawl away; and fet it in a cool place in fummer, and in winter in a warm one, which will prevent the froft from killing them: change the mofs every fourth day in fummer, and once a week in winter, or at leaft let the old mofs be taken from them, wafhed, fqueezed pretty dry, and put it to them again.

1f