HAP. XIII. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 169 



very little Lamprey, which some call a Pride, and may, 

 in the hot months, be found many of them in the river 

 Thames, and in many mud-heaps in other rivers ; yea, 

 almost as usually as one finds worms in a dunghill. 



Next note, that the Eel seldom stirs in the day, but 

 then hides himself; and therefore he is usually caught by 

 night, with one of these baits of which I have spoken ; 

 and may be then caught by laying hooks, which you are 

 to fasten to the bank, or twigs of a tree ; or by throwing 

 a string cross the stream, with many. hooks at it, and 

 those baited with the aforesaid baits; and a clod, or 

 plummet, or stone, thrown into the river with this line, 

 that so you may in the morning find it near to some fixed 

 place ; and then take it up with a drag-hook, or other- 

 wise. But these things are, indeed, too common to be 

 spoken of; and an hour's fishing with any angler will 

 teach you better, both for these and many other common 

 things in the practical part of angling, than a week's dis- 

 course. I shall therefore conclude this direction for 

 taking the Eel, by telling you, that, in a warm day in 

 summer, I have taken many a good Eel by Snigling, and 

 have been much pleased with that sport. 



And because you, that are but a young angler, know 

 not what Snigling is, I will now teach it to you. You 

 remember, I told you, that Eels do not usually stir in the 

 daytime; for then they hide themselves under some covert; 

 or under boards or planks about flood-gates, or weirs, or 

 mills ; or in holes on the river banks : so that you, observ- 

 ing your time in a warm day, when the water is lowest, 

 may take a strong small hook, tied to a strong line, or to 

 a string about a yard long ; and then into one of these 

 holes, or between any boards about a mill, or under any 

 great stone or plank, or any place where you think an 

 Eel may hide or shelter herself, you may, with the help 

 of a short stick, put in your bait, but leisurely, and as far 



