THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 69 



CHAPTER II. 



OBSERVATIONS OF THE OTTER AND CHUB. 



Venator. My friend Piscator, you have kept time with ray 

 thoughts ; for the sun is just rising, and I myself just now come 

 to this place, and the dogs have just now put down an otter. 

 Look ! down at the bottom of the hill there, in that meadow, 

 chequered with water lilies and lady-smocks, there you may see 

 what work they make : look ! look ! you may see all busy, 

 men and dogs, dogs and men, all busy. 



Piscator. Sir, I am right glad to meet you, and glad to have 

 so fair an entrance into this day's sport, and glad to see so many 

 dogs and more men all in pursuit of the otter. Let 's compli- 

 ment no longer, but join unto them. Come, honest Venator, 

 let 's be gone, let us make haste ; I long to be doing : no 

 reasonable hedge or ditch shall hold me. 



Venator. Gentleman huntsman, where found you this Otter ? 



Huntsman. Marry, sir, we found her a mile from this place, 

 a-fishing. She has this morning eaten the greatest part of this 

 trout ; she has only left thus much of it, as you see, and was 

 fishing for more ; when we came, we found her just at it : but 

 we were here very early ; we were here an hour before sun-rise, 

 and have given her no rest since we came ; sure, she will hardly 

 escape all these dogs and men. I am to have the skin, if we 

 kill her. 



Venator. Why, sir, what 's the skin worth ? 



Huntsman. 'Tis worth ten shillings to make gloves; the 

 gloves of an Otter are the best fortification for your hands that 

 can be thought on against wet weather. 



Piscator. I pray, honest huntsman, let me ask you a pleasant 

 question : do you hunt a beast or a fish ? 



Huntsman. Sir, It is not in my power to resolve you ; I leave 

 it to be resolved by the college of Carthusians, who have made 

 vowa never to eat flesh. But, I have heard, the question hath 

 been debated among many great clerks, and they seem to differ 

 about it ; yet most agree that her tail is fish : and if her body 

 be fish too, then I may say that a fish will walk upon land ; 

 for an Otter does so sometimes, five, or six, or ten miles in a 

 night, to catch for her young ones, or to glut herself with fish. 

 And I can tell you that pigeons will fly forty miles for a break- 

 fast ; but, sir, I am sure the Otter devours much fish, and kills 

 and spoils much more than he eats. And I can tell you, that 

 this dog-fisher for so the Latins call him can smell a fish 



