188 FISHING ON THE 



some of the latter more than half the length of your boat, 

 and as thick as a man's leg. These would generally be 

 thrown back again, were it not for the havoc they make 

 among the other fish, and the damage they do to the set- 

 lines. Their throats are, therefore, cut as soon as they are 

 pulled up, after which operation they will live for hours. 

 The skate is also very tenacious of life ; and nothing can 

 be more absurd than the grotesque pompous faces it will 

 continue to exhibit for some time after being deposited in 

 the boat. The round shape of its jagged crown is exactly 

 like a judge's wig ; and when it puffs out its cheeks, the 

 whole face and head so forcibly remind one of those learned 

 lords, that you almost fancy you hear it pronouncing sen- 

 tence upon the devoted congers. The conger, if dressed like 

 other fish, is uneatable ; but when the oil is taken out, by 

 parboiling, some people prefer it to cod. Care should be 

 taken to untwist the line as much as possible when draw- 

 ing it, which saves a deal of trouble afterwards. There is 

 generally so much filth and discomfort in the whole 

 business, that gentlemen seldom care to engage in it, 

 except a few times from curiosity.* 



* Thunder is generally believed to be destructive to fishing of all kinds 

 and so it often is. I, however, know an instance, when a Mend of mine 

 set his long-line just before a tremendous storm, which raged the whole 

 hour it was in the water. As soon as it cleared, he rowed to his line, with 

 no hope of success for that day : to his astonishment it was perfectly 

 loaded with heavy fish. Something similar happened to myself, when 

 going to fish the Almond, near Edinburgh. I was overtaken by a thunder- 

 storm when close to the river ; directly upon its subsiding, I commenced 

 fishing, and at the second or third throw hooked a fine trout. After a few 

 hours I returned home, having had excellent sport. 



