CHAP. VI.] THE SECOND DAT. 395 



farther end of the walk you shall begin. I see at that bend 

 of the water above, the air crisps the water a little, knit 

 your line first here, and then go up thither, and see what 

 you can do. 



Viat. Did you see that, sir ? 



Pise. Yes, I saw the fish, and he saw you too, which made 

 him turn short ; you must fish farther off, if you intend to 

 have any sport here ; this is no New River, let me tell you ! 

 That was a good trout, believe me ; did you touch him ? 



Viat. No, I would I had, we would not have parted so ! 

 Look you, there was another ! This is an excellent fly ! 



Pise. That fly, I am sure, Avould kill fish, if the day were 

 right ; but they only chew at it, I see, and will not take it. 1 

 Come, sir, let us return back to the fishing-house ; this still 

 water I see will not do our business to-day. You shall now, 

 if you please, make a fly yourself, 2 and try what you can do 

 in the streams with that ; and I know a trout taken with 

 a fly of your own making, will please you better than twenty 

 with one of mine. Give me that bag again, sirrah. Look 

 you, sir, there is a hook, towght, silk, and a feather for the 

 wings : be doing with those, and I will look you out a 

 dubbing, that I think will do. 



Viat. This is a very little hook. 



Pise. That may serve to inform you, that it is for a very 

 little fly, and you must make your wings accordingly ; for 

 as the case stands it must be a little fly, and a very little 



1 When a fish is thus observed to play, as it were, with the fly, I think 

 he is probably doubtful of its smell ; and I have often succeeded in making 

 them bite in such cases by putting a cadis bait, or other insect, on the fly- 

 hook. RENNIE. 



2 To make a fly is so essential, that he hardly deserves the name of an 

 angler who cannot do it. There are many who will go to a tackle-shop, 

 and tell the master of it, as Dapper does Subtle in "The Alchemist," that 

 they want a fly ; for which they have a thing put into their hands, that 

 would pose a naturalist to find a resemblance for : though, when particular 

 directions have been given, I have known them excellently made by the 

 persons employed by the fishing-tackle makers in London. But do thou, 

 my honest friend, learn to make thy own flies ; and be assured, that in 

 collecting and arranging the materials, and imitating the various shapes 

 and colours of these admirable creatures, there is little less pleasure than 

 even in catching fish. H. This, no doubt, was very true a century ago, 

 when Sir John Hawkins wrote ; but now all is changed. See note, 

 ante, page 391. ED. 



