258 ANGLERS' EVENINGS. 



affirm, that Rod and Line, and perhaps yourself, are seen also. In this 

 difference of opinions I shall only say, in small Brooks you may angle 

 upwards, or else in great Rivers you must wade, as I have known some, who 

 thereby got the Sciatica, and I would not wish you to purchase pleasure at 

 so dear a rate ; besides, casting up the River you cannot keep your Line out 

 of water, which we noted for a fault before ; and they that use this way con- 

 fess that if in casting your flie, the Line fall into the water before it, the fiie 

 were better uncast, because it frights the Fish ; then certainly it must do it 

 this way, whether the flie falL first or not the Line must first come to the Fish 

 or fall on him, which undoubtedly will fright him : therefore, my opinion is 

 that you angle down the River,for the other you traverse twice so much, and 

 beat not so much ground as downwards. 



The next book, Tlie Angler s Vade Mecwn, by James 

 Chetham, of Smedley, near Manchester, appeared first in 

 1 68 1. The allusion in this book to subjects of much 

 local interest will sufficiently justify the full quotations 

 which I make. Upon the vexed question of the mixture 

 of silk and hair in lines, Chetham appears to be the first 

 writer who objects to the method. He says : — 



The mixing Hair and Silk I esteem no ways good for Lines ; but if your 

 Lines must be very strong, make them all of Hair, or all of Silk that is white, 

 because it is strongest, and will not rot so quickly as colour'd Silk. 



Then he gives, as a proved success, a recipe for an 



ointment to lure fishes, in which he also describes t/ie 



manner of using, and no one now even need doubt its 



utility, under the proper conditions, which I have 



italicised : — 



Of Man's Fat, Cat's Fat, Heron's Fat, and of the best Assa-faetida, of 

 each two Drams ; Mummy, finely powdered, two Drams ; Cummin-feed, 

 finely powdered, two Scruples ; and of Camphor, Galbanum, and Venice 

 Turpentine of each one Dram ; Civet-grains, two. Make, according to Art, 

 all into an indifferent thin Oyntment, with the Chymical Oyls of Lavender, 

 Annise, and Camomil, of each an equal quantity ; and keep the same in a 



