70 LONDON ANGLER'S BOOK, 



baited with lobs or small fish. They are also taken 

 by sniggling. 



This is performed by procuring a very stout line 

 (plaited silk is the best) about three or four yards is 

 quite enough, this is held in the left hand, at the end 

 of which tie a common sized stocking needle, from 

 the eye end to the centre, this done, half the needle 

 will be bare, the line issuing, as it were, out of the 

 centre of the needle ; this is called a sniggle ; you 

 must likewise have a crook, this is a small rod about 

 four feet long, with a brass joint, similar to a hinge, 

 it should move smoothly but stiffly, from this joint 

 there should be about a foot of hard wood or whale- 

 bone, terminating in a sharp point, this is for the 

 purpose of conveying the baited sniggle to the hole or 

 blow, as it is called ; get some large lob worms, well 

 scoured, and run the head of the needle into the worm, 

 about the middle, passing the whole of the needle up 

 to the head of the worm ; the point of your crook 

 must then be entered about the knot on the worm, for 

 the purpose of conveying it as your judgment may 

 direct, in such a manner that the head of the worm 

 may be presented first to the eel. Thus prepared, 

 you will then direct your bait to such places as are 

 likely to contain Eels, as under clods or hollow banks, 

 roots of trees, and about old wood work, they are 

 likewise taken out of the bed of the river, where the 

 soil is of a soft nature, and are met with in what is 

 termed a blow, which is distinguished by a small 

 aperture in the soil, usually about the size of a shilling ; 



