1 82 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



have discovered, they strike with a trout-spear, or other 

 ways. This kind of way they catch very many ; but I 

 would not believe it till I was an eye-witness of it, nor do I 

 like it now I have seen it. 7 



VEN. But, master, do not trouts see us in the night ? 



PlSC. Yes, and hear and smell too, both then and in the 

 day-time ; for Gesner observes, the otter smells a fish forty 

 furlongs off him in the water : and that it may be true 

 seems to be affirmed by Sir Francis Bacon, in the eighth 

 century of his " Natural History," who there proves that 

 waters may be the medium of sounds, by demonstrating it 

 thus : " That if you knock two stones together very deep 

 under the water, those that stand on a bank near to that 

 place may hear the noise without any diminution of it by 

 the water." He also offers the like experiment concerning 

 the letting an anchor fall, by a very long cable or rope, on 

 a rock, or the sand within the sea. And this being so well 

 observed and demonstrated as it is by that learned man, 

 has made me to believe that eels unbed themselves and stir 

 at the noise of thunder ; and not only, as some think, by 

 the motion or stirring of the earth, which is occasioned by 

 that thunder. 



And this reason of Sir Francis Bacon (Exper. 792) has 

 made me crave pardon of one that I laughed at, for affirm- 

 ing that he knew carps come to a certain place in a pond 

 to be fed, at the ringing of a bell or the beating of a drum ; 

 and, however, it shall be a rule for me to make as littl< 

 noise as I can when I am fishing, until Sir Francis Bacoi 

 be confuted, which I shall give any man leave to do. 8 



And, lest you may think him singular in his opinion, 

 will tell you this seems to be believed by our learned Doctc 



