170 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PAltl I. 



as you may conveniently ; and it is scarce to be doubted, 

 but if there be an Eel, within the si-lit of it, the Eel will 

 bite instantly, and as certainly gorge it ; and you need 

 not doubt to have him if you pull him not out of the hole 

 too quickly, but pull him out by degrees ; for he, lying 

 folded double in his hole, will, with the help of his tail, 

 break all, unless you give him time to be wearied with 

 pulling, and so get him out by degrees, not pulling too 

 hard. 



And to commute for your patient hearing this long 

 direction, I shall next tell you how to make this Eel a 

 most excellent dish of meat 



First, wash him in water and salt ; then pull off his 

 skin below his vent or navel, and not much further : hav- 

 ing done that, take out his guts as clean as you can, but 

 wash him not: then give him three or four scotches with 

 a knife ; and then put into his belly and those scotches, 

 sweet herbs, an anchovy, and a little nutmeg grated or 

 cut very small ; and your herbs and anchovies must also 

 be cut very small, and mixt with good butter and salt : 

 having done this, then pull his skin over him, all but his 

 head, which you are to cut off, to the end you may tie his 

 skin about that part where his head grew, and it must be 

 so tied as to keep all his moisture within his skin : and 

 having done this, tie him with tape or packthread to a 

 spit, and roast him leisurely; and baste him with water 

 and salt till his skin breaks, and then with butter ; and 

 having roasted him enough, let what was put into his 

 belly, and what he drips, be his sauce. S. F. 



When I go to dress an Eel thus", I wish he were as long 

 and as big as that which was caught in Peterborough 

 river, in the year 1667 ; which was a yard and three quar- 

 ters long. If you will not believe me, then go and see at 

 one of the coffee-houses in King-street, in Westminster. 



But now let me tell you. that though the Eel, thus 



