The Fourth Day 147 



gathering together, for there they will most certainly 

 come for their supper, you may take a pipe of 

 tobacco : and then, in with your three rods, as in the 

 morning. You will find excellent sport that even- 

 ing, till eight of the clock : then cast in the residue 

 of your ground-bait, and next morning, by four of 

 the clock, visit them again for four hours, which is 

 the best sport of all ; and after that, let them rest 

 till you and your friends have a mind to more 

 sport. 



From St. James's-tide until Bartholomew-tide is 

 the best; when they have had all the summer's 

 food, they are the fattest. 



Observe, lastly, that after three or four days' 

 fishing together, your game will be very shy and 

 wary, and you shall hardly get above a bite or two 

 at a baiting : then your only way is to desist from 

 your sport, about two or three days : and in the 

 meantime, on the place you late baited, and again 

 intend to bait, you shall take a turf of green 

 but short grass, as big or bigger than a round 

 trencher ; to the top of this turf, on the green side, 

 you shall, with a needle and green thread, fasten one 

 by one, as many little red worms as will near cover 

 all the turf: then take a round board or trencher, 

 make a hole in the middle thereof, and through the 

 turf placed on the board or trencher, with a string 

 or cord as long as is fitting, tied to a pole, let it 

 down to the bottom of the water, for the fish to 

 feed upon without disturbance about two or three 

 days ; and after that you have drawn it away, you 

 may fall to, and enjoy your former recreation. 



B. A. 



