The Fourth Day 145 



bag and malt is near cold, take it down to the 

 water-side, about eight or nine of the clock in the 

 evening, and not before : cast in two parts of your 

 ground-bait, squeezed hard between both your 

 hands ; it will sink presently to the bottom ; and 

 be sure it may rest in the very place where you 

 mean to angle : if the stream run hard, or move a 

 little, cast your malt in handfuls a little the higher, 

 upwards the stream. You may, between your 

 hands, close the malt so fast in handfuls, that the 

 water will hardly part it with the fall. 



Your ground thus baited, and tackling fitted, 

 leave your bag, with the rest of your tackling and 

 ground-bait, near the sporting-place all night ; and 

 in the morning, about three or four of the clock, 

 visit the water-side, but not too near, for they have 

 a cunning watchman, and are watchful themselves 

 too. 



Then, gently take one of your three rods, and 

 bait your hook ; casting it over your ground-bait, 

 and gently and secretly draw it to you till the lead 

 rests about the middle of the ground-bait. 



Then take a second rod, and cast in about a yard 

 above, and your third a yard below the first rod ; 

 and stay the rods in the ground : but go yourself so 

 far from the water-side, that you perceive nothing 

 but the top of the floats, which you must watch 

 most diligently. Then when you have a bite, you 

 shall perceive the top of your float to sink suddenly 

 into the water : yet, nevertheless, be not too hasty 

 to run to your rods, until you see that the line goes 

 clear away ; then creep to the water-side, and give 

 as much line as possibly you can : if it be a good 

 Carp or Bream, they will go to the farther side of the 

 river : then strike gently, and hold your rod at a 

 bent, a little while ; but if you both pull together, 

 you are sure to lose your game, for either your line, 

 K 



