160 THE COMPLETE ANGLER 



best ; but possibly another worm not too big may do 

 as well, and so may a green gentle, and as for pastes, 

 there are almost as many sorts as there are medicines 

 for the toothache ; but doubtless sweet pastes are best ; 

 I mean pastes made with honey or with sugar ; which, 

 that you may the better beguile this crafty fish, should 

 be thrown in the pond or place in which you fish for 

 him, some hours, or longer, before you undertake your 

 trial of skill with the angle-rod ; and doubtless, if it be 

 thrown into the water a day or two before, at several times, 

 and in small pellets, you are the likelier, when you fish 

 for the carp, to obtain your desired sport. Or, in a large 

 pond, to draw them to a certain place, that they may 

 the better and with more hope be fished for, you are to 

 throw into it, in some certain place, either grains or blood 

 mixed with cow-dung or with bran ; or any garbage, 

 as chickens' guts, or the like ; and then some of your 

 small sweet pellets with which you purpose to angle : 

 and these small pellets being a few of them also thrown 

 in as you are angling, will be the better. 



And your paste must be thus made : take the flesh 

 of a rabbit or cat cut small ; and bean-flour ; and if 

 that may not be easily got, get other flour ; and then 

 mix these together, and put to them either sugar, or 

 honey (which I think better) : and then beat these 

 together in a mortar, or sometimes work them in youi 

 hands, your hands being very clean ; and then make 

 it into a ball, or two, or three, as you like best, for youi 

 use : but you must work or pound it so long in the mortar, 

 as to make it so tough as to hang upon your hook without 

 washing from it, yet not too hard : or, that you may 

 the better keep it on your hook, you may knead with your 

 paste a little, and not much, white or yellowish wool. 



And if you would have this paste keep all the year, 

 for any other fish, then mix it with virgin-wax and clarified 

 honey, and work them together with your hands before 



