1 86 The Cunning of Bream. 



sweet gross-ground barly-malt, and boil 

 it in a kettle (one or two warms is enough) ; 

 then strain it through a Bag into a tub 

 (the liquor whereof hath often done my 

 Horse much good), and when the 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 Watch-man and are watchful 

 themselves too." 



I have quoted more than I intended to, 

 but the whole paragraph is very interesting 

 to any one who cares about bream, carp,, 

 or tench-fishing, and it brings in Walton's 

 horse. I have no doubt now that he used 



