48 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



I warrant you ; and the otter too, it may be : now have at him 

 with Kilbuck, for he vents again. 



Ven. Marry so he does, for look he vents in that corner. 

 Now, now Ringwood has him : now he's gone again, and has bit 

 the poor dog. Now Sweetlips has her ; hold her, Sweetlips ! 

 now all the dogs have her, some above and some under water ; 

 but now, now she's tired, and past losing : come bring her to me, 

 Sweetlips. Look, 'tis a bitch-otter, and she has lately whelped, 

 let's go to the place where she was put down, and not far from it 

 you will find all her young ones, I dare warrant you, and kill 

 them all too. 



Hunt. Come, gentlemen, come all, let's go to the place where 

 we put down the otter. Look you, hereabout it was that she 

 kennelled ; look you, here it was indeed, for here's her young 

 ones, not less than five ; come, let's kill them all. 



Pisc. No, I pray. Sir, save me one, and I'll try if I can make 

 her tame, as I know an ingenious gentleman in Leicestershire, 

 Mr. Nich. Seagrave, has done ; who hath not only made her 

 tame, but to catch fish, and do many other things of much plea- 

 sure. 



Hunt. Take one with all my heart, but let us kill the rest. 

 And now let's go to an honest ale-house, where we may have a 

 cup of good barley-wine, and sing Old Rose,* and all of us 

 rejoice together. 



Ven. Come, my friend Piscator, let me invite you along with 

 us ; I'll bear your charges this night, and you shall bear mine 

 to-morrow ; for my intention is to accompany you a day or two 

 in fishing. 



* A rollicking drinking song of the time of Charles L, in Hannington's 

 collection : 



" Now we've met like jovial fellows, 

 Let us do as wise men tell us, 

 Sing Old Rose and burn the bellows," &c. 



Sir H. JVicholas. 



The reader will observe the tact with which here and in the conversa- 

 tion the next day, Walton contrasts the noisy, intemperate huntsman, with 

 the quiet, well behaved angler. — Am. Ed. 



