274 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



struck by the net, and so cause a prompt and lasting dissolution of part- 

 nership. If a fish, as soon as hooked, commences struggling on the 

 surface of the water, or throws jump after jump out of it, it is a sure 

 sign that he is not firmly hooked. At each jump, lower a little the 

 point of your rod ; do not pull whilst the fish is struggling on the surface, 

 or bounding up beyond it. Play him with delicacy ; and instead of 

 tearing away the hook from a slight hold, you may succeed in rendering 

 that hold firmer. When a fish, on being hooked, sinks rapidly to the 

 bottom, depend upon it he is well hooked. Play him with confidence, 

 but not with brute force, and he cannot escape. In foul parts of the 

 river, amongst rocks, roots of trees, near dilapidated weirs, close above 

 them, or the arches of bridges, you must work with a tight rein, and 

 " butt" your foe determinedly every time he makes a rush for some dan- 

 gerous locality, with the intention of making it a vantage ground for a 

 successful sauve qui peui on his part. 



[If the reader study these instructions, together with those on hooking, 

 playing, &c., a salmon, given at the end of Chap. VII., Part I., and prac- 

 tise them carefully, the result will be " Jack is as good as his master." 

 ED.] 



CHAPTER VI. 

 [Sccontr 2Bap.] 



Pise. Boy, come, give me my dubbing-bag here presently ; 

 and now, sir, since I find you so honest a man, I will make 

 no scruple to lay open my treasure before you. 



YIAT. Did ever any one see the like ! What a heap of 

 trumpery is here ! Certainly never an angler in Europe has 

 his shop half so well furnished as you have. 



Pise. You, perhaps, may think now, that I rake together 

 this trumpery, as you call it, for show only ; to the end that 

 such as see it, which are not many I assure you, may think 

 me a great master in the art of angling : but, let me tell you, 

 here are some colours, as contemptible as they seem here, 

 that are very hard to be got ; and scarce any one of them 

 which, if it should be lost, I should not miss, and be con- 

 cerned about the loss of it, too, once in the year. But look 

 you, sir, amongst all these I will choose out these two colours 

 only, of which, this is bear's hair, this darker, no great matter 

 what ; but I am sure I have killed a great deal of fish with it ; 



