this, though it be most excellent meat, yet it wants scales, and is, as I told you, therefore an abomination to the Jews.

But, scholar, there is a fish that they in Lancashire boast very much of, called a CHAR; taken there (and I think there only), in a mere called Winander Mere: a mere, says Camden, that is the largest in this nation, being ten miles in length, and (some say) as smooth in the bottom as if it were paved with polished marble. This fish never exceeds fifteen or sixteen inches in length; and is spotted like a trout: and has scarce a bone, but on the back. But this, though I do not know whether it make the angler sport, yet I would have you take notice of it, because it is a rarity, and of so high esteem with persons of great note.

Nor would I have you ignorant of a rare fish called a GUINIAD; of which I shall tell you what Camden and others speak. The river Dee (which runs by Chester), springs in Merionethshire; and, as it runs toward Chester, it runs through Pemble-Mere, which is a large water: and it is observed, that though the river Dee abounds with salmon, and Pemble-Mere with the guiniad, yet there is never any salmon caught in the mere, nor a guiniad in the river. And now my next observation shall be of the Barbel.

CHAPTER XIV.

OBSERVATIONS OF THE BARBEL; AND DIRECTIONS HOW TO FISH
FOR HIM.

[Fourth Bay.]

PISC. The Barbel is so called, says Gesner, by reason of his barb or wattles at his mouth, which are under his nose or chaps. He is one of those leather-mouthed fishes, that I told you of, that does very seldom break his hold if he be once

hardly worth the mention. The same may be said of smelts, which, in the Thames, and other great rivers, are caught with a bit of any small fish, but chiefly of their own species. In the month of August, about the year 1720, such vast quantities of smelts came up the Thames, that women, and even children became anglers for them; and as I have been told by persons who well remembered it, in one day, between London-bridge and Greenwich, not fewer than two thousand persons were thus employed.-H.

hooked but he is so strong, that he will often break both rod and line, if he proves to be a big one.

But the barbel, though he be of a fine shape, and looks big, yet he is not accounted the best fish to eat, neither for his wholesomeness nor his taste: but the male is reputed much better than the female, whose spawn is very hurtful, as I will presently declare to you.

They flock together, like sheep, and are at the worst in April, about which time they spawn, but quickly grow to be in season. He is able to live in the strongest swifts of the water, and in summer they love the shallowest and sharpest streams; and love to lurk under weeds, and to feed on gravel against a rising ground, and will root and dig in the sands with his nose like a hog, and there nest himself: yet sometimes he retires to deep and swift bridges, or flood-gates, or weirs, where he will nest himself amongst piles or in hollow places, and take such hold of moss or weeds, that be the water never so swift, it is not able to force him from the place that he contends for. This is his constant custom in summer, when he and most living creatures sport themselves in the sun but at the approach of winter, then he forsakes the swift streams and shallow waters, and by degrees retires to those parts of the river that are quieter and deeper in which places, and I think about that time, he spawns, and, as I have formerly told you, with the help of the melter, hides his spawn or eggs in holes, which they both dig in the gravel, and then they mutually labour to cover it with the same sand, to prevent it from being devoured by other fish.

There be such store of this fish in the river Danube, that Rondeletius says, they may in some places of it, and in some months of the year, be taken by those that dwell near to the river, with their hands, eight or ten load at a time: he says, they begin to be good in May, and that they cease to be so in August; but it is found to be otherwise in this nation: but thus far we agree with him, that the spawn of a barbel, if it be not poison, as he says, yet that it is dangerous meat, and especially in the month of May; which is so certain, that Gesner and Gasius declare it had an ill effect upon them, even to the endangering of their lives.*

*Though the spawn of the barbel is known to be of a poisonous nature, yet it is often taken by country people medicinally; who find it at once, a most powerful emetic and cathartic. And, notwithstanding what is said of the

This fish is of a fine cast and handsome shape, with small scales, which are placed after a most exact and curious manner, and, as I told you, may be rather said not to be ill, than to be good meat: the chub and he have, I think, both lost part of their credit by ill cookery, they being reputed the worst or coarsest of fresh-water fish. But the BARBEL

affords an angler choice sport, being a lusty and a cunning fish; so lusty and cunning as to endanger the breaking of the angler's line, by running his head forcibly towards any covert or hole or bank, and then striking at the line, to break it off, with his tail, as is observed by Plutarch in his book "De Industriâ Animalium ;" and also so cunning, to nibble and suck off your worm close to the hook, and yet avoid the letting the hook come into his mouth.

The barbel is also curious for his baits; that is to say, that they be clean and sweet; that is to say, to have your worms well scoured, and not kept in sour and musty moss, for he is a curious feeder; but at a well scoured lob-worm he will bite as boldly as at any bait, and especially if, the night or two before you fish for him, you shall bait the places where you

wholesomeness of the flesh,' with some constitutions it produces the same effects as the spawn. About the month of September, in the year 1754, a servant of mine, who had eaten part of a barbel, though as I had cautioned him, he abstained from the spawn, was seized with such violent purging and vomiting, as had like to have cost him his life.-H.

[NOTE.-I doubt very much the truth of the alleged noxious properties either of the roe or the flesh of barbel when in condition, in the month of July, August, September, and October. Their edible qualities are bad-that is, tasteless. Dr. Bloch says, "the barbel, when not overgrown, is a sufficiently delicate fish ;" and adds, that "himself, together with his whole family, had eaten the roe or spawn without any bad effect.' I believe the latter part of

the doctor's assertion, but I cannot subscribe to the former part of it. All the cooking in the world cannot render the flesh of barbel "sufficiently delicate." The Thames puntmen tell me, the only way of rendering barbel a passable relish is to fry slices of it with good rashers of fat bacon. I am inclined to agree with them.-ED.]

intend to fish for him, with big worms cut into pieces ;* and note, that none did ever overbait the place, nor fish too early or too late for a barbel. And the barbel will bite also at gentles, which not being too much scoured, but green, are a choice bait for him ; and so is cheese, which is not to be too hard, but kept a day or two in a wet linen cloth to make it tough with this you may also bait the water a day or two before you fish for the barbel, and be much the likelier to catch store; and if the cheese were laid in clarified honey a short time before, as namely, an hour or two, you are still the likelier to catch fish: some have directed to cut the cheese into thin pieces, and toast it, and then tie it on the hook with fine silk: and some advise to fish for the barbel with sheep's tallow and soft cheese beaten or worked into a paste, and that it is choicely good in August, and I believe it; but doubtless the lob-worm well scoured, and the gentle not too much scoured; and cheese ordered as I have directed, are baits enough, and I think will serve in any month, though I shall commend any angler that tries conclusions, and is industrious to improve the art. And now, my honest scholar, the long shower and my tedious discourse are both ended together; and I shall give you but this observation, that when you fish for barbel, your rod and line be both long and of good strength, for, as I told you, you will find him a heavy and a dogged fish to be dealt withal, yet he seldom or never breaks his hold if he be once strucken. And if you would know more of fishing for the umber or barbel, get into favour with Doctor Sheldon, whose skill is above others; and of that the poor that dwell about him have a comfortable experience.

And now let us go and see what interest the trouts will pay us for letting our angle-rods lie so long and so quietly in the water, for their use. Come, scholar, which will you take up?

VEN. Which you think fit, master.

PISC. Why, you shall take up that, for I am certain, by viewing the line, it has a fish at it. Look you, scholar ! well done! Come, now take up the other too well! now you may tell my brother Peter, at night, that you have caught a leash of trouts this day. And now let's move towards our

* All this paragraph deserves the attention of the reader. The observations made in it prove that Walton was an expert barbel fisher.-ED.

lodging, and drink a draught of red cow's milk as we go; and give pretty Maudlin and her honest mother a brace of trouts for their supper.

VEN. Master, I like your motion very well; and I think it is now about milking-time; and yonder they be at it.

PISC. God speed you, good woman! I thank you both for our songs last night: I and my companion have had such fortune a-fishing this day, that we resolve to give you and Maudlin a brace of trouts for supper; and we will now taste a draught of your red cow's milk.

MILK-W. Marry, and that you shall with all my heart; and I will still be your debtor when you come this way. If you will but speak the word, I will make you a good syllabub of new verjuice; and then you may sit down in a haycock, and eat it; and Maudlin shall sit by and sing you the good old song of the "Hunting in Chevy Chase," or some other good ballad, for she hath store of them; Maudlin, my honest Maudlin, hath a notable memory, and she thinks nothing too good for you, because you be such honest men.

VEN. We thank you; and intend once in a month, to call upon you again, and give you a little warning; and so, good night; good night, Maudlin. And now, good master, let's lose no time; but tell me somewhat more of fishing; and, if you please, first, something of fishing for a gudgeon.

Pisc. I will, honest scholar.

[REMARKS ON THE BARBEL.-Very little can be added to improve this excellent, and practically and prettily written chapter-practical for the greater part of it, and very pleasant towards its close. The river Lea, Walton's pet river, abounded in fine barbel in his day, and is not devoid of them now. So did the Thames, and it still does so. The best rivers in England for barbel, are the Thames and the Trent; and the best mode of fishing for the bearded, fluvial grenadier, is by means of the ledger-line. I'll tell you how it is made. On your foot-line of strong gut, about eighteen inches above the hook, fasten a number four shot, and twelve inches above that another shot of the same size. Between the shots the line should consist of gimp; and between them there must be a perforated bullet-freely so, to allow the gimp to run through easily. Instead of shots, double knots will answer. Your hook should be a number six, and your bait a large well-scoured lob-worm, or better, two middle-sized ones. Your winch line should run freely off the winch. Pull in your bullet to within a yard of the top of the rod, and then fling it to the spot which has been already ground-baited with lob-worms. When the bullet sinks, it will rock to and fro in the stream, and your worms will keep moving with it. When the bait is seized, the barbel will run with it until it is checked by the bullet, coming