CHAP, viii.] THE FOURTH DA Y. 139 



to catch a Pike thus do you no good, yet I am certain this direc- 

 tion how to roast him when he is caught is choicely good ; for I 

 have tried it, and it is somewhat the better for not being common. 

 But with my direction you must take this caution, that your Pike 

 must not be a small one, that is, it must be more than half a yard, 

 and should be bigger. 



" First, open your Pike at the gills, and if need be, cut also a 

 little slit towards the belly. Out of these, take his guts ; and 

 keep his liver, which you are to shred very small, with thyme, 

 sweet marjoram, and a little winter-savoury ; to these put some 

 pickled oysters, and some anchovies, two or three ; both these 

 last whole, for the anchovies will melt, and the oysters should not ; 

 to these you must add also a pound of sweet butter, which you 

 are to mix with the herbs that are shred, and let them all be well 

 salted. If the Pike be more than a yard long, then you may put 

 into these herbs more than a pound, or if he be less, then less 

 butter will suffice : These, being thus mixt, with a blade or two of 

 mace, must be put into the Pike's belly ; and then his belly so 

 sewed up as to keep all the butter in his belly if it be possible ; 

 if not, then as much of it as you ppssibly can. But take not of} 

 the scales. Then you are to thrust the spit through his mouth, 

 cut at his tail. And then take four or five or six split sticks, or 

 very thin laths, and a convenient quantity of tape or filleting ; 

 these laths are to be tied round about the Pike's body, from his 

 head to his tail, and the tape tied somewhat thick, to prevent his 

 breaking or falling off from the spit. Let him be roasted very 

 leisurely ; and often basted with claret wine, and anchovies, and 

 butter, mixt together ; and also with what moisture falls from him 

 into the pan. When you have roasted him sufficiently, you are 

 to hold under him, when you unwind or cut the tape that ties him, 

 such a dish as you purpose to eat him out of; and let him fall 

 into it with the sauce that is roasted in his belly ; and by this 

 means the Pike will be kept unbroken and complete. Then, to 

 the sauce which was within, and also that sauce in the pan, you 

 are to add a fit quantity of the best butter, and to squeeze the 

 iuice of three or four oranges. Lastly, you may either put it into 

 the Pike, with the oysters, two cloves of garlic, and take it whole 

 out, when the Pike is cut off the spit ; or, to give the sauce a 

 haut goiit, let the dish into which you let the Pike fall be rubbed 



"Complete Troller," by Ro. Nobbes, i2mo, 1682; the "Angler's sure Guide " already 

 alluded to; Hewitt's "Angler's Manual," 1S08 ; and particularly Daniels' "Field 

 Sports," vol. ii., wherein will be found everything necessary to be known on the 

 subject. 



