268 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



your fly, and then you can never strain your tackle in the stri- 

 king, if you strike with any manner of moderation. Come, throw 

 in once again, and fish me this stream by inches ; for, I assure you, 

 here are very good fish both Trout and Grayling lie here ; 

 and at that great stone on the other side, 'tis ten to one, a good 

 Trout gives you the meeting. 



Viator. I have him now ; but he is gone down towards the 

 bottom. I cannot see what he is, yet he should be a good fish 

 by his weight : but he makes no great stir. 



Piscator. Why, then, by what you say, I dare venture to 

 assure you 'tis a Grayling, who is one of the deadest-hearted 

 fishes in the world; and the bigger he is, the more easily taken. 

 Look you, now you see him plain ; I told you what he was. 

 Bring hither that landing-net, boy. And now, sir, he is your 

 own ; and, believe me, a good one sixteen inches long I war- 

 rant him I have taken none such this year. 



Viator. I never saw a Grayling before look so black. 



Piscator. Did you not? why, then let me tell you, that you 

 never saw one before in right season : for then a Grayling is 

 very black about his head, gills, and down his back, and has his 

 belly of a dark gray, dappled with black spots, as you see this 

 is ; and I am apt to conclude, that from thence he derives his 

 name of Umber.* Though I must tell you, this fish is past his 

 prime, and begins to decline, and was in better season at Christ- 

 mas than he is now. But move on, for it grows towards dinner 

 time ; and there is a very great and fine stream below, under 

 that rock, that fills the deepest pool in all the river, where you 

 are almost sure of a good fish. 



Viator. Let him come, I '11 try a fall with him. But I had 

 thought that the Grayling had been always in season with the 

 Trout, and had come in and gone out with him. 



Piscator. Oh, no ! assure yourself a Grayling is a winter fish, 

 but such a one as would deceive any but such as know him very 

 well indeed; for his flesh, even in his worst season, is so firm, 

 and will so easily calver, that, in plain truth, he is very good 

 meat at all times : but in his perfect season, (which, by the way, 

 none but an overgrown Grayling will ever be,) I think him so 

 good a fish, as to be little inferior to the best Trout that ever I 

 tasted in my life. 



Viator. Here 's another skipjack ; and I have raised five or 

 six more at least whilst you were speaking. Well, go thy way, 

 little Dove ! thou art the finest river that ever I saw, and the 

 fullest of fish. Indeed, sir, I like it so well, that I am afraid 

 you will be troubled with me once a-year, so long as we two 

 live. 



* Others say, that the name, Umber, signifying 1 " Shadow," is given, 

 because the fish swims so fast as to pass like a shadow. J. R. 



