194 ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 



When in a Boat, or Wherry, they seldom fish for, or 

 catch, any other than Whiting and Haddock, the 

 former of these is most frequently taken, the latter 

 coming by meer Accident. 



The whiting are caught on a Paternoster furnished 

 with half a dozen hooks, baited with hairy-worms ; 

 no rod is necessary in this form of fishing. It is of 

 no use to fish for mackerel " except when the Ship 

 lies by, or is becalmed. A Piece of scarlet Cloth hung 

 upon a Hook, is the first Bait that is used, and which 

 never fails of answering the Intent it was designed 

 for. From hence arose this common Saying, A 

 Scarlet Coat is a Maycril-Bait for the Ladies. When 

 you have taken a Maycril, cut a thin Piece off from 

 the Tail, a little above the Fin, and place it upon 

 your Hook." 



To the perusal of those Thames fishermen who 

 endeavour to restock the Thames with trout and 

 salmon, and at the same time strictly preserve the 

 pike, I would commend the following extract from a 

 poem " Of Fish," forming part of a book of poems 

 first published in Latin by Jacob Vaniere, 1730, and 

 afterwards translated into English by John Buncombe 

 of C. C. C. Cantab. : 



Tho' the rich Pike, to entertain your Guest, 

 Smokes on the board and decks a royal Feast ; 

 Yet must you not this cruel Savage place 

 In the same Ponds that lodge the finny Race : 

 In the same Tow'r you might as well unite. 

 The fearful Pigeons and the rav'nous Kite ; 

 In the same yard the Fox with Chickens keep, 

 Or place the hungry Wolf with harmless Sheep. 



