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side of him, keeping a delicate hold of him, 

 with just purchase enough, as I before observed, 

 to prevent his going down; when he strikes, 

 ease him at the same instant; and when he 

 becomes faint, pull him gently down stream ; 

 and, as soon as you have overpowered him, get 

 his nose up to the top of the water ; and, when 

 he is nearly drowned, begin to tow him gently 

 towards the shore. Never attempt to lift him 

 out of the water by the line, but haul him on 

 to some sloping place ; then stick the spike of 

 your rod in the ground, with the rod a little on 

 the bend ; crawl slily up as quick as possible, 

 and put your hands under him, and not too for- 

 ward. If you use a landing-net (which, for 

 saving time, and particularly where the banks 

 are steep, is sometimes a necessary appendage), 

 let it be as light as possible, very long in the 

 handle, and three times as large as what people 

 generally carry. Take care that neither that, 

 nor the man who may assist you with it, goes 

 even in sight of the water, till the fish is 

 brought well to the surface, and fairly within 

 reach ; and then you have only to have the net 

 put under him, or keep his eyes above water, 

 tow him into it. Mind this, or the landing-net 

 and your man will prove enemies, instead of 

 assistants, to your sport. Nothing will so 

 soon, or suddenly, rouse a sick fish, as the sight 

 of a man or a landing-net." 



