276 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [part ii. 



try; and yet these hills, though high, hleak, and 

 craggy, breed and feed good beef and mutton above- 

 ground, and afford good store of lead within. 



Viat. They had need of all those commodities 

 to make amends for the ill landscape : but I hope 

 our way does not lie over any of these, for I dread 

 a precipice. 



Pise. Believe me, but it does, and down one 

 especially, that will appear a little terrible to a 

 stranger ; though the way is passable enough, and 

 so passable, that we, who are natives of these 

 mountains, and acquainted with them, disdain to 

 alight. 



Viat. I hope though, that a foreigner is privi- 

 leged to use his own discretion, and that I may 

 have the liberty to entrust my neck to the fidelity 

 of my own feet, rather than to those of my horse ; 

 for I have no more at home. 



Pise. 'Twere hard else. But in the mean time, 

 I think 'twere best, while this way is pretty even, 

 to mend our pace, that we may be past that hill I 

 speak of, to the end your apprehension may not be 

 doubled for want of light to discern the easiness of 

 the descent. 



Viat. I am willing to put forward as fast as my 

 beast will give me leave ; though I fear nothing in 

 your company. But what pretty river is this we 

 are going into ? 



Pise. Why this, Sir, is called Bentley brook, and 

 is full of very good Trout and Grayling ; but so 





