Barker a Salmon- Angler. 95 



was not mentioned by Walton. This is 

 both true and not true ; it is not mentioned 

 in his first edition, but in others it is. 



Page 146, fifth edition, Compleat Angler : 

 4( Note also, that many use to fish for 

 a salmon with a ring of wire on the top 

 of their Rod, through which the Line may 

 run to as great a length as is needful when 

 he is hook'd. And to that end, some use 

 a wheel about the middle of their rod, or 

 near their hand, which is to be observed 

 better by seeing one of them, than by a 

 large demonstration of words." 



But Barker, who wrote before Walton, 

 not only describes the reel, but gives an 

 illustration of it. This passage is very 

 interesting. He says (p. 18) : 



" I will now shew you the way to take 

 Salmon. The first thing you must gain 

 must be a rod of some ten foot in the 

 stock that will carry a top of six foot 

 pretty stiffe and strong, the reason is, 

 because there must be a little wire ring 

 at the upper end of the top for the line 

 to run through, that you may take up and 

 loose the line at your pleasure ; you must 

 have your winder within two foot of the 

 bottom to goe on your rod made in this 

 manner, with a spring, that you may put 

 it as low as you please." 



(Compare this with the extract just 



