136 ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 



too quick and surprising, to give any diversion ; 

 the Sport of Trolling consisting more in the 

 managing the Bite, in the playing of a Pike, and 

 his eager biting and running with the Bait, then just 

 a word and a blow, snapping him up and putting him 

 into the Bag. 



The eighth chapter treats " Of the Pouch-Hook," 

 and it is evident that the pattern of the dead gorge 

 trolling hook has altered very little since the time of 

 Nobbes, an illustration being given of this tackle, 

 both with a single and with a double hook. Nobbes 

 preferred the single hook form, because he thought 

 that it played the bait better. In this and in a later 

 chapter the author does not consider that a baiting 

 needle is necessary : 



You need not that which they call the Arming 

 Wyre to help you thrust it out of the Tail of the 

 Bait. . . . Some have besides the running Wire a 

 Knitting Needle on purpose, but if the first joint of 

 your Wire be stiff and strong, it may very well be 

 done with that. 



The ninth chapter treats "Of the Trolling 

 Line": 



The best material for the composure of your 

 Line, is green or blew Silk, which Cerulean is most 

 resembling and agreeable to the Water; but it is 

 possible it may be only a fancy that that colour is of 

 more consequence than another ; yet sometimes the 

 pleasing of the fancy, does so much enliven and 

 encourage the Fisherman, that it makes him the 

 more active and laborious, and so by that means is 

 the occasion of all his sport ; and if his fancy diverts 



