68 BEST'S ART OF ANGLING. 



in a pyramidal form, on the cord : the lead must 

 be made hollow three parts of the way up it, and 

 then a hole must be bored through it big enough 

 to put the cord through, and let the lead slide down 

 to the knot. Then fix all to a manageable pole, 

 and use it in muddy water. When the fishes tug, 

 let them have time to fasten, then draw them 

 gently up and hoist them quick to shore. A boat 

 called a punt is very useful in this kind of fishing. 

 Some use an eel-spear to catch eels with, which is 

 an instrument with three or four forks or jagged 

 teeth, which they strike at random into the mud. 



The rivers Stour in Dorsetshire, Ankam in Lin- 

 colnshire, and Irk in Lancashire, are famed by 

 their respective neighbours for very excellent eels. 

 Mr. Pope has celebrated the river Kennet, in Berk- 

 shire, on the same account, in his Windsor Forest. 



The Kennet swift, for silver eels renown'd. 



In Rumsey-mere, in Huntingdonshire, are a 

 great quantity of eels, and large pikes which they 

 call hagets ; but Cambridgeshire boasts of having 

 the most and best eels, if you credit the natives. 



Eel-pouts, another fish somewhat resembling 

 the eel, but more esteemed, are also found in some 

 rivers. Their haunts are the same as the eel's, 

 and they are to be taken in peals of thunder and 

 heavy rain, when they leave their holes. The best 

 bait is a small gudgeon. Hooks the double or 

 single ones. 



THE ROACH. 



The roach is as foolish as the carp is crafty ; he 

 is by no means a delicate fish : the river-ones are 

 much better than those bred in ponds. They spawn 



