lo6 , TRAVELS IN 
awakening to my cares, I turned about, and in the 
evening regained our camp. 
On my return, I found fome of my companions 
flfhing for trout, round about the edges of the float- 
ing nymph^ea, and not unfuccefsfully, having then 
caught more than fufficient for us all. As the me- 
thod of taking thefe fijli is curious and lingular, I 
fhali juft mention it. 
They are taken with a hook and line, but with- 
out any bait. Two people are in a little canoe, one 1 
fitting in the ft ern to fleer, and the other near the 
bow, having a rod ten or twelve feet in length, to 
one end of which is tied a ftrong line, about twenty 
inches in length, to which are faftened three large 
hooks, back to back. Thefe are fixed very fecurely $ 
and covered with the white hair of a deer's tail 9 
jfhreds of a red garter, and fome particoloured fear 
thers, all which form a tuft, or talfel, nearly as 
large as one's fill, and entirely cover and conceal 
the hooks : this is called a bob. The fteerfman 
paddles foftly, and proceeds 11 owl y along Ihore., 
keeping the boat parallel to it, at a diftance juft 
fufficient to admit the rilherman to reach the edge 
of the floating weeds along more ; he now ingeni- 
ouily fwings the bob backwards and forwards, juft 
above the furface, and fometimes tips the water 
with it ; when the unfortunate cheated troat in- 
ftantly fprings from under the weeds, and feizes the 
fuppofed prey. Thus he is caught without a poffi- 
bility of efcape, unlefs he break the hooks, line, or 
rod, which he, however, fometimes does by dint of 
ftrength ; but, to prevent this, the rilherman ufed 
to the fport is careful not to raife the reed fuddenly 
up, but jerks it inftantly backwards, then fteadily 
drags the fturdy rei'u&ant fifh to the fide of the 
canoe. 
