184 THE COMPLETE ANGLER 



double in his hole, will, with the help of his tail, break 

 all, unless you give him time to be wearied with 

 pulling ; and so get him out by degrees, not pulling 

 too hard. 



And to commute for your patient hearing this long 

 direction, I shall next tell you how to make this eel a 

 most excellent dish of meat. 



First, wash him in water and salt, then pull off his skin 

 below his 'vent or navel, and not much further ; having 

 done that, take out his guts as clean as you can, but wash 

 him not : then give him three or four scotches with a 

 knife, and then put into his belly and those scotches, 

 sweet herbs, an anchovy, and a little nutmeg grated, or 

 cut very small ; and your herbs and anchovies must also 

 be cut very small, and mixed with good butter and salt : 

 having done this, then pull his skin over him all but his 

 head, which you are to cut off, to the end you may tie his 

 skin about that part where his head grew ; and it must 

 be so tied as to keep all his moisture within his skin : and 

 having done this, tie him with tape or packthread to a 

 spit, and roast him leisurely, and baste him with water 

 and salt till his skin breaks, and then with butter ; and 

 having roasted him enough, let what was put into his 

 belly and what he drips, be his sauce. S. F. 



When I go to dress an eel thus, I wish he were as long 

 and big as that which was caught in Peterborough river 

 in the year 1667, which was a yard and three quarters long. 

 If you will not believe me, then go and see at one of the 

 coffee-houses in King Street, in Westminster. 



But now let me tell you, that though the eel thus dressed 

 be not only excellent good, but more harmless than any 

 other way ; yet it is certain, that physicians account the 

 eel dangerous meat : I will advise you therefore, as 

 Solomon says of honey, " Hast thou found it, eat no more 

 than is sufficient, lest thou surfeit; for it is not good 

 to eat much honey." And let me add this, that the 



