CHAP. x. THE FOURTH DAY. 125 



pearch, who will assuredly visit your hooks, till they be taken 

 out, as I will show you afterward, before either carp or bream 

 will come near to bite. Note also, that when the worm is 

 well baited, it will crawl up and down as far as the lead will give 

 leave, which much enticeth the fish to bite without suspicion. 



3. Having thus prepared your baits, and fitted your tackling, 

 repair to the river, where you have seen them swim in skulls or 

 shoals, in the summer time, in a hot afternoon, about three or 

 four of the clock, and watch their going forth of their deep 

 holes and returning, which you may well discern, for they 

 return about four of the clock, most of them seeking food at 

 the bottom, yet one or two will lie on the top of the water, 

 rolling and tumbling themselves whilst the rest are under him 

 at the bottom, and so you shall perceive him to keep sentinel ; 

 then mark where he plays most, and stays longest, which com- 

 monly is in the broadest and deepest place of the river, and 

 there, or near thereabouts, at a clear bottom and a convenient 

 landing-place, take one of your angles ready fitted as aforesaid, 

 and sound the bottom, which should be about eight or ten feet 

 deep, two yards from the bank is the best. Then consider with 

 yourself whether that water will rise or fall by the next morning, 

 by reason of any water-mills near, and according to your dis- 

 cretion take the depth of the place, where you mean after to 

 cast your ground-bait, and to fish, to half an inch, that the lead 

 lying on near the ground-bait, the top of the float may only 

 appear upright half an inch above the water. 



Thus you having found and fitted for the place and depth 

 thereof, then go home and prepare your ground-bait, which is, 

 next to the fruit of your labours, to be regarded. 



THE GROUND-BAIT. 



You shall take a peck, or a peck and a half, according to the 

 greatness of the stream and deepness of the water where you 

 mean to angle, of sweet gross-ground barley malt, and boil it 

 in a kettle ; one or two warms is enough, then strain it through a 

 bag into a tub, the liquor whereof hath often done my horse 



