OLD-FASHIONED ANGLING 29 



side. I am sorry to say the author winds up by 

 full directions for snaring and snatching. 



It seems curious to be told that good places for 

 roach fishing are by Blackfriars, Westminster and 

 Chelsea Bridges, or by the piles at London Bridge ; 

 but that the best way by far was to go below the 

 bridges and fasten your boat to the " stern of any 

 collier or other vessel whose bottom was dirty with 

 weeds," to angle there, as " you would not fail to 

 catch many roach, and those very fine ones." The 

 sailors on board colliers must have been a very 

 different set in those days from what they are now. I 

 fancy anyone trying to tie his boat to the stern of a 

 collier, whether for fishing or any other purpose, 

 would have a pretty hot time of it. The Thames, 

 of course, is mentioned as one of the rivers where 

 salmon were caught, though the localities are not 

 named. Exact particulars are given for fishing for 

 eels, but in those days they must have been a very 

 amiable sort of fish, not at all like the obstinate 

 and perverse creatures they are now, if they allowed 

 themselves to be caught by sniggling in the way 

 mentioned. You were to " get a strong line of silk 

 and a small hook bated with a lob w^orm ; next get a 

 short stick with a cleft in it, and put the line into 

 it near the bait ; then thrust it into such holes as 

 you suppose him to lurk in. If he is there, it is 



