HOW TO S Tit IKE A P1KK AM) LAND HIM. 



he will hang himself, yet a line gentle stroke will do no 

 harm, but secure him. Supposing then that lie has fVd 

 a little, you may observe what motion !ve makes: if he 

 takes the bait greedily at bottom, and marches up the 

 stream with it, or strikes across the river towards his 

 hold, he will then probably lie still a little, while he is 

 pouching, as you may feet him check and tug ; if he 

 goes quick, you may let him alone a little longer ; you 

 in ay lose all for want of two or three minutes pati- 

 ence : if he hath lain still awhile the second time, and. 

 then runs with it, you may 1< t him go if you have a 

 desire to prolong the sport ; if not, you may draw 

 your line straight, and with your rod give him an easy 

 stroke, and so feel him by degrees till you come to sec 

 him ; but if he makes resistance and is very furious, 

 let him have line enough arid give him his full swing : 

 he will be very angry at first, till he is better pacified 

 by losing his strength. 



As soon as you strike him, you may conjecture of 

 what bigness he is, for if he is large, you will find him 

 strong and unruly in the water; but if small and light, 

 you can scarcely tell whether you have any thing or 

 not; or perhaps he may (for madness) leap out of the 

 water as soon as he is pricked ; if he is a good one, as 

 I say, you may either see or feel him, arid you must 

 be very cautious and take great care and diligence in 

 getting him to shore : if the river is broad and your 

 line short, you may lose him : he will launch out with 

 that extremity and violence, that though he cannot 

 break the line, yet he will tear his own entrails if he is 

 there hung. 



Now if a fish takes your bait at the top of the water, 

 and runs fiercely with it in the deep, and there lies 

 still for some time, and you perceive that he does not 

 pouch it, your remedy for that is to stir him a little, to 

 make him run and be more eager ; then after he hath 

 lain stiil and runs with it again, there is no great dan. 

 ger of losing that fish : when they leave it they com- 

 monly throw it up, that is the first time they lie still. 

 Sometimes he will take it again after he hath left it, and 



