144 THE ANGLER'S GUIDE. 



fish that might be caught, and that with less 

 expensive tackle and less trouble also. He 

 told him that jack was a good fish, and might 

 be caught with tackle of a commoner order, 

 the whole of which he might buy for a few 

 shillings. They were also, he said, a very 

 voracious fish, and would take at times almost 

 anything. His hook should be baited with a 

 small fish, or, if he could not get that, he 

 might use a frog. He had read of one that 

 seized a mule by the nose while he was drink- 

 ing in the stream, and held him so tight that 

 the mule threw him out on the land, glad 

 enough to get rid of him anywhere. Others 

 had been opened that had swallowed young 

 ducks and rats, and they had been known to 

 try to pouch a fish nearly as large as them- 

 selves. " Then they are the chaps for me," said 

 Bigings, " and I'll buy the tackle, and have a 

 try for some on 'em. And if I can't get one 

 thing for a bait, I'll get another, and I'll war- 

 rant it shall be something worth their swallow- 

 ing." And he was going away, but he turned 

 back and asked the old angler if he thought 

 they'd take a nice piece of raw beef steak, or 

 the inside lean of a mutton chop, or a little 

 slice of cold roast pork? But the old man, 



