154 



THE CARP OR TENCH 



some carp or tench* retained by him in a stew, that ' they 

 were soon reconciled to their situation, and ate boiled pota- 

 toes in considerable quantities ; and the former seemed to 

 have lost their original shyness, eating in my presence with- 

 out any scruple; ' and Sir John Hawkins says he was assured 

 by a friend of his, that he saw a carp come to the edge of a 

 pond, from being whistled to by a person who daily fed it ; 

 and I have, myself, seen carp come to the edge of the water, 

 to be fed with breadt by the visitors to Roche Abbey." 



TLe time for angling for them is from March till Septem- 

 ber, with worms of various kinds, caterpillars, grasshoppers, 

 beetles, wasps, and pastes. They are generally taken at or 

 near the bottom, with a worm attached to a small strong 

 hook, say No. 9 or 10 trout. 



The time of day for taking the carp is thus given by one 

 of England's poets : 



" At early dawn, or rather, when the air 

 Glimmering with fading light, and shadowy eve 

 Is busiest to confer and to bereave ; 

 Then, pensive votary! let thy feet repair 

 To silent lakes, or gentle river fair." 



Mr. Salter recommends a red worm on the hook, with a 

 gentle on the point of it. They are also taken with fruit 

 and vegetables of different kinds. Salter says they may be 

 taken with marrow-fat peas. Taylor and Walton prescribe 



* The tench is a species of the carp, differing considerably in appear- 

 ance from what is called the common carp. It is of a dark olive color, 

 with quite small scales and nearly even. The mode of angling for him 

 is the same adopted for the subject of our present chapter. 



1 It may not be generally known that the gold-fish and silver-fish, 

 which are seen about in glass globes, and small artificial ponds, and eat 

 bread from the hand, are a species of the golden carp. They are natives 

 of Chiua, where they are bred and sold in great quantities. 



