The Fourth Day 83 



to shelter and hide himself, in the winter, in ditches 

 that be near to the river ; and there both to hide, 

 and keep himself warm, in the mud, or in the weeds, 

 which rot not so soon as in a running river, in which 

 place if he were in winter, the distempered floods 

 that are usually in that season would suffer him to 

 take no rest, but carry him headlong to mills and 

 weirs, to his confusion. And of these Minnows : 

 first, you are to know, that the biggest size is not 

 the best; and next, that the middle size and the 

 whitest are the best ; and then you are to know, that 

 your minnow must be so put on your hook, that it 

 must turn round when 'tis drawn against the stream ; 

 and, that it may turn nimbly, you must put it on a 

 big-sized hook, as I shall now direct you, which is 

 ^thus : Put your hook in at his mouth, and out at his 

 gill; then, having drawn your hook two or three 

 inches beyond or through his gill, put it again into 

 his mouth, and the point and beard out at his tail ; 

 and then tie the hook and his tail about, very neatly, 

 with a white thread, which will make it the apter to 

 turn quick in the water ; that done, pull back that 

 part of your line which was slack when you did put 

 your hook into the minnow the second time ; I say, 

 pull that part of your line back, so that it shall fasten 

 the head, so that the body of the minnow shall be 

 almost straight on your hook : this done, try how it 

 will turn, by drawing it across the water or against 

 a stream ; and if it do not turn nimbly, then turn 

 the tail a little to the right or left hand, and try 

 again, till it turn quick ; for if not, you are in danger 

 to catch nothing : for know, that it is impossible that 

 it should turn too quick. And you are yet to know, 

 that in case you want a minnow, then a small loach, 

 or a stickle-bag, or any other small fish that will turn 

 quick, will serve as well. And you are yet to know 

 that you may salt them, and by that means keep 



