60 FLY FISHING FOR TROTJT. 



gifts, next door to the Gate-house in Westmin- 

 ster. A Cromwellian too is Barker, but of a 

 different stamp, a cook and not a soldier, em- 

 ployed, at the Lord Protector's charge, in cook- 

 ing for foreign ambassadors who come to Lon- 

 don. He asks our pardon for not writing 

 ' SchoUer like,' but he can readily be forgiven, 

 for he produced a wholly excellent book, copied 

 by Walton for fly fishing and fly dressing, the 

 first which advises fishing fine for trout, and the 

 first which mentions the reel. The book is full 

 of amusing turns and phrases, and as he goes 

 along Barker pauses from time to time and 

 sums up his subject in verse : verse which never 

 fails to dwell on the supreme importance of 

 cookery. But he is also full of good fishing 

 knowledge, as we shall see. He tells you, too, 

 that you can buy the best tackle from Oliver 

 Fletcher at the West end of St. Paul's at the 

 sign of the Three Trouts, the best hooks from 

 Charles Kirby (first mention of a famous house) 

 in Shoe Lane, Harp Alley, Mill Yard, and the 

 best rods from John Hobs at the sign of the 

 George behind the Mews by Charing Cross. 

 Every fisherman should read Barker. 



The next is another Cromwellian, and a dis- 

 tinguished one too. Colonel Robert Venables 

 had a long and honourable military career, and 

 rose to a high position in the Parliamentary 

 army. He commanded a regiment in Ireland, 

 where he found time to fish as well as to fight. 

 But Cromwell took him away from his fishing 



