22 LITERATURE OF SEA AND RIVER FISHING. 



Oppian, however, recommends as a bait a living labrax, 

 when one is to be got. Here is an account of how sargues 

 or sargs (a species of Sparidce) were captured in ancient 

 days. The biographers of these fish say that the males 

 are extremely uxorious, and fortunately are able to obtain 

 the hyper-mormonistic accompaniment of at least a hundred 

 wives apiece ; and further that the tribe have such a strong 

 affection for goats, that when a herd come down to bathe 

 they flock to the place, and there remain for a long time. 

 Hence the fishermen were in the habit of dressing them- 

 selves in goat-skins and skinning the water of the poor 

 sargs — Credat Judmis — 



" When bleating concerts and the deeper sound 

 Of shepherds echo through the vast profound, 

 With eager haste th' unwieldy Sargos move, 

 By nature slow, but swift to meet their love ; 

 With wanton gambols greet the horned fair. 

 Vault o'er the waves and flutter in the air ; 

 Unhappy lovers, who too soon shall find, 

 Their pleasures hollow and their goats unkind. 

 Deceitful swains, the fatal hint improve, 

 And arm the flattering destinies with love. 

 A goat-skin o'er his back the fisher throws. 

 And sets th' erected horns above his brows ; 

 The flesh and fat incorporates with flour. 

 And scatters o'er the flood a foodful shower, 

 The fair disguise and scented victuals' charms, 

 With joint attraction call the finny swarms ; 

 They round the mimic goat in crowds repair, 

 Thoughtless their sports, their joys are insincere. 

 Poor ignorants ! a deadly mate they find, 

 His shape familiar, but estranged his mind. 

 A sturdy rod his latent hand extends. 

 The flaxen cordage from the top descends, 

 The fleshy feet of goats unhoof 'd conceal 

 With odoriferous bait the barbed steel ; 

 With unsuspicious haste the fish devours, 

 Mounts to the jerk, and tumbles on the shores." 



