Page:An English Garner Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (Volume 1 1877).pdf/201

 The Instruments.

First. An holdfast.

Secondly. A hammer to flatten the place or the beard.

Thirdly. A file to make the beard, and sharpen the point.

Fourthly. A bender, viz. a pin bended, and put in the end of a stick, an handful long, thus.

When they are made, lap them in the end of a wire; beat them again, and temper them in oil or butter.

11 [p. 152]: The best form for ready striking and sure holding and strength, is a straight and somewhat long shank and straight nibbed; with a little compass: not round in any wise,

for it neither strikes surely nor readily; but is weak, as having too great a compass. Some use to batter the upper end thus {Illustration:} to hold the faster: but good thread or silk, good baud [''? band''] may make it fast enough. It is botcherly, hinders the biting, and sometimes cuts the line.

12 [p. 152]: He means the hook may be too weak at the point. It cannot be too sharp, if the metal be good steel.

13 [p. 153]: Or wind them on two or three of your fingers, like an Orph-Arion's string.

14 [p. 153]: Worm poke of cloth, or boxes.

15 [p. 153]: A plummet you need not; for your line being well leaded and without a float, will try your depths. When the lead above your hook comes to the earth, the line will leave sinking.

16 [p. 154]: That is good: but a forked rod about two yards long is better. When your hook is fastened in the water, take a rod thus fashioned

and put the line in the fork, and so follow down to your hook. So letting your line be somewhat slack, move your fork to and fro, especially downwards; and so shall your hook be loosed.

17 [p. 154]: White and grey are good, answering to the colours of the sky.

18 [p. 167]: The Gudgeon hath his teeth in his throat (as]