60 THE COMPLETE ANGLER 



And thus much for my knowledge of the otter, which 

 you may now see above water at vent, and the dogs close 

 with him ; I now see he will not last long, follow therefore 

 my masters, follow, for Sweetlips was like to have him at 

 this last vent.* 



VEN. Oh me ! all the horse are got over the river, 

 what shall we do now ? Shall we follow them over the 

 water ? 



HUNT. No, sir, no, be not so eager ; stay a little and 

 follow me, for both they and the dogs will be suddenly on 

 this side again I warrant you ; and the otter too, it may 

 be : now have at him with Kilbuck, for he vents again. 



VEN. Marry so he does, for look he vents in that 

 corner. Now, now Ringwood has him : now he's gone 

 again, and has bit the poor dog. Now Sweetlips has her ; 

 hold her, Sweetlips ! now all the dogs have her, some 

 above and some under water ; but now, now she's tired, 

 and past losing : come bring her to me, Sweetlips. Look, 

 'tis a bitch-otter, and she has lately whelped. Let's go to 

 the place where she was put down, and not far from it 

 you will find all her young ones, I dare warrant you, and 

 kill them all too. 



HUNT. Come, gentlemen, come all, let's go to the 

 place where we put down the otter. Look you, hereabout 

 it was that she kennelled ; look you, here it was indeed, 

 for here's her young ones, no less than five ; come let's 

 kill them all. 



Pise. No, I pray Sir, save me one, and I'll try if I 

 can make her tame, as I know an ingenious gentleman in 

 Leicestershire, Mr. Nicholas Seagrave, has done ; who 



otter ; and in its contests with dogs, it seldom fails to fracture, by 

 biting through one or two of their fore-legs. No dog can bite through 

 the body-skin (so thickly covered is it with impenetrable fur) of the 

 otter. The otter-hound that knows his business seizes his quarry 

 by the head, and by crushing it comes oft victorious. E. 



* I.e. view. The otter " vents " when he shows his head above 

 water for the purpose of respiration (venting, "taking in wind"), 

 after having been swimming under water to escape his pursuers. E. 



