226 ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 



and let it sink a little in the water, and then draw it 

 gently over to you again, letting the current carry it 

 slowly down ; this is the best way for slow waters, 

 but for quick ones, your fly must always swim on the 

 top, under the continual inspection of your eyes, 

 which ought for this kind of angling to be as sharp 

 as the basilisk's. 



Best concludes his book with some interesting 

 notes on the Thames : 



But let me return to the Thames, of which, and 

 the rivers, that fall into it, I shall treat somewhat 

 particularly, as they are more the seat for the 

 diversion of angling than any others. The higher an 

 angler goes up the Thames, if within about forty 

 miles, the more sport, and the greater variety of fish 

 he will meet with ; but as few Londoners go so far 

 from home, I shall mention the best places for 

 Thames angling from London Bridge to Chelsea. 



If the air is cold and raw, the wind high, the water 

 rough, or if the weather is wet, it is totally useless to 

 angle in the Thames. 



The best places for pitching a boat for angling in 

 the Thames, are about one hundred and fifty yards 

 from York Stairs ; the Savoy, Somerset- House, 

 Dorset Stairs, Black-Friars Stairs ; the Dung-Warf 

 near Water-Lane, Trig Stairs and Essex Stairs. On 

 Surrey side, Falcon Stairs ; Barge Houses ; Cuper's 

 vulgo Cupids Stairs ; the Windmill and Lambeth. 



At and about Windsor is a vast variety of all sorts 

 of fish ; but if a man be found angling in another's 

 water, (without leave) he is fined very high by the 

 court of that town, if he only catches a single 

 gudgeon, &c. 



Uxbridge-river, excellent for its large and fat 

 trouts ; but as the water is rented, not only leave 

 must be obtained to angle in it ; but you must pay 



