86 ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 



for salmon-fishing (Compleat Angler, ed. 2, pp. 188 

 and 189): 



Note also, that many use to fish for a Salmon, with 

 a ring of wyre 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 wheele about the middle of their rod, or nearer 

 their hand, which are to be observed either by seeing 

 them, or a larger demonstration of words. 



To Barker, however, belongs the credit of first 

 mentioning the use of the winch in angling, and it 

 appears to have been invented by a namesake of 

 his. He mentions it in his first edition, in refer- 

 ence to trolling for pike : 



One of my name was the best Trouler for a Pike 

 in this Realm, he laid a wager that he would take a 

 pike of four foot long, of Fish, within the space of 

 one moneth with his Trouling Rod : So he trouled 

 three and odd days and took many great Pikes, nigh 

 the length, but did not reach the full length till 

 within the space of three dayes of the time, then he 

 took one and won the wager. The manner of his 

 Trouling was, with a Hazel Rod of twelve foot long, 

 with a ring of wyre in the top of his rod, for his Line 

 to run through ; within two foot of the bottom of the 

 Rod, there was a hole made for to put in a wind, to 

 turn with a barrell, to gather up his Line and loose 

 at his pleasure ; this was his manner of Trouling. 



In his accurate description of a trimmer and the 

 following passages, the unsportsmanlike side of 

 Barker's character appears : 



But I will pawn my Credit, that I will shew a way, 



