CHAP. xvi. Asiatic Trimmer. 231 



out, and pass the line over a fork in the overhanging bough, the 

 object of the fork being to keep the line off the shore, and then 

 lower away your frog till he just sits comfortably and naturally on the 

 surface of the water, unsuspended by the hook, his weight really being 

 on the water, and yet without an inch of slack line. Then make fast 

 to any convenient object on the shore, giving, as aforesaid, no slack 

 line at all. You may leave it to do its work while you go away and 

 tie a dozen more, or spin, or smoke the pipe of peace. 



The Murral feeds largely on frogs, and sailing quietly about, looking 

 for them, as his habit sometimes is, he comes upon your bait, and, as it 

 is thoroughly natural, of course takes it. 



"Ah me! what perils do environ 

 Theysv& that meddles with cold iron." 



He has to go through a severe course of steel before he has done with 

 it. As there is no slack line at all, he is struck the moment he has 

 taken the bait; the line is taut on him, and he is seen flapping about, 

 with his head half out of water. You have consequently no need to 

 be constantly examining your trimmers, as you can see, from a quarter 

 of a mile off, a great fish flapping and splashing on the top of the 

 water. 



As there is no play whatever given to the fish, but a dead pull from 

 the moment he is hooked, it follows that your line and hook must be 

 strong must be much stronger than it would be necessary to use on 

 a rod. A single hook of about the size of a No. 4/0 or 3/0 Limerick 

 hook will do very well ; but a good strong treble hook is perhaps a 

 trifle better. It should be tied on a piece of the No. 2/0 wire gimp, 

 p. 208, or thicker if you like ; the natives use a bit of copper or brass 

 wire, which does very well. The line can be any piece of good stout 

 twine. You need not be nervous about its being seen by the fish, for 

 the manner of baiting is such that there is nothing whatever to be seen 

 in the water, and the hook, be it ever so big in reason, cannot be seen, 

 because it is thoroughly screened by the frog, which is in a direct line 

 between your hook and the fish to be taken. Of cord, too, there is 

 only about a foot or two, hanging in a motionless straight line directly 

 down to the frog, by which again it is mainly hidden ; it is also generally 

 difficult to see in the shadow of the bush. 



The whole method of baiting is so simple and so effective, that it 



