The North Country Angler. 75 



the fish, to put oir fresh baited snoods, which I 

 had ready in a dish, and to throw in the lines 

 again ; and generally, before I could sit down 

 and drink, another bell has rung, and called us 

 to duty. Sometimes the Gentlemen would let 

 the bell ring as long as a country vicar would do, 

 who liked his tankard and friend full as well as 

 praying. But this made me more work, for the 

 eels would often make knots on the snoods, 

 which 1 could not afford time to unloose, so was 

 forced to take off the snoods, and put both 

 together into the creel. 



I have often catched two hundred or more, 

 great and small, and we have got home soon in 

 the morning, before people were stirring; having 

 a trusty servant to tane care of all the appurte- 

 nances, till we have taken a morning's nap. 

 Some of my companions would now and then 

 be catching cold, which in time abated their 

 fondness for these night works, and then we 

 changed it into the more healthful day-angling. 



CHAP. XXIII. 



Of Eels, how they are bred, and of the several 

 Ways 0} catching them. 



JL SHALL not trouble my reader with the non- 

 sensical stuff of their being bred of corruption, 

 or a dew falling in May or June, or of hairs 

 falling into the water, &c. I have catched them 



