第 11 节
作者:吻火      更新:2022-08-26 22:13      字数:9322
  ven that I have caught ?
  Piscator。 Marry; Sir; it shall be given away to some poor body; for I'll warrant you I'll give you a Trout for your supper: and it is a good beginning of your art to offer your first…fruits to the poor; who will both thank you and God for it; which I see by your silence you seem to consent to。 And for your willingness to part with it so charitably; I will also teach more concerning Chub…fishing。 You are to note; that in March and April he is usually taken with worms; in May; June; and July; he will bite at any fly; or at cherries; or at beetles with their legs and wings cut off; or at any kind of snail; or at the black bee that breeds in clay walls。 And he never refuses a grasshopper; on the top of a swift stream; nor; at the bottom; the young humble bee that breeds in long grass; and is ordinarily found by the mower of it。 In August; and in the cooler months; a yellow paste; made of the strongest cheese; and pounded in a mortar; with a little butter and saffron; so much of it as; being beaten small; will turn it to a lemon colour。 And some make a paste for the winter months; at which time the Chub is accounted best; for then it is observed; that the forked bones are lost; or turned into a kind of gristle; especially if he be baked; of cheese and turpentine。 He will bite also at a minnow; or peek; as a Trout will: of which I shall tell you more hereafter; and of divers other baits。 But take this for a rule; that; in hot weather; he is to be fished for towards the mid…water; or near the top; and in colder weather; nearer the bottom; and if you fish for him on the top; with a beetle; or any fly; then be sure to let your line be very long; and to keep out of sight。 And having told you; that his spawn is excellent meat; and that the head of a large Cheven; the throat being well washed; is the best part of him; I will say no more of this fish at the present; but wish you may catch the next you fish for。
  But; lest you may judge me too nice in urging to have the Chub dressed so presently after he is taken; I will commend to your consideration how curious former times have been in the like kind。
  You shall read in Seneca; his Natural Questions; that the ancients were so curious in the newness of their fish; that that semed not new enough that was not put alive into the guest's hand; and he says; that to that end they did usually keep them living in glass bottles in their dining…rooms; and they did glory much in their entertaining of friends; to have that fish taken from under their table alive that was instantly to be fed upon; and he says; they took great pleasure to see their Mullets change to several colours when they were dying。 But enough of this; for I doubt I have staid too long from giving you some Observations of the Trout; and how to fish for him; which shall take up the next of my spare time。
  The third day … continued
  On the Nature and Breeding of the Trout; and how to fish for him
  Chapter IV
  Piscator; Venator; Milk…woman; Maudlin; Hostess
  Piscator。 The Trout is a fish highly valued; both in this and foreign nations。 He may be justly said; as the old poet said of wine; and we English say of venison; to be a generous fish: a fish that is so like the buck; that he also has his seasons; for it is observed; that he comes in and goes out of season with the stag and buck。 Gesner says; his name is of a German offspring; and says he is a fish that feeds clean and purely; in the swiftest streams; and on the hardest gravel; and that he may justly contend with all fresh water fish; as the Mullet may with all sea fish; for precedency and daintiness of taste; and that being in right season; the most dainty palates have allowed precedency to him。
  And before I go farther in my discourse; let me tell you; that you are to observe; that as there be some barren does that are good in summer; so there be some barren Trouts that are good in winter; but there are not many that are so; for usually they be in their perfection in the month of May; and decline with the buck。 Now you are to take notice; that in several countries; as in Germany; and in other parts; compared to ours; fish do differ much in their bigness; and shape; and other ways; and so do Trouts。 It is well known that in the Lake Leman; the Lake of Geneva; there are Trouts taken of three cubits long; as is affirmed by Gesner; a writer of good credit: and Mercator says; the Trouts that are taken in the Lake of Geneva are a great part of the merchandize of that famous city。 And you are further to know; that there be certain waters that breed Trouts remarkable; both for their number and smallness。 I know a little brook in Kent; that breeds them to a number incredible; and you may take them twenty or forty in an hour; but none greater than about the size of a Gudgeon。 There are also; in divers rivers; especially that relate to; or be near to the sea; as Winchester; or the Thames about Windsor; a little Trout called a Samlet; or Skegger Trout; in both which places I have caught twenty or forty at a standing; that will bite as fast and as freely as Minnows: these be by some taken to be young Salmons; but in those waters they never grow to be bigger than a Herring。
  There is also in Kent; near to Canterbury; a Trout called there a Fordidge Trout; a Trout that bears the name of the town where it is usually caught; that is accounted the rarest of fish; many of them near the bigness of a Salmon; but known by their different colour; and in their best season they cut very white: and none of these have been known to be caught with an angle; unless it were one that was caught by Sir George Hastings; an excellent angler; and now with God: and he hath told me; he thought that Trout bit not for hunger but wantonness; and it is the rather to be believed; because both he; then; and many others before him; have been curious to search into their bellies; what the food was by which they lived; and have found out nothing by which they might satisfy their curiosity。
  Concerning which you are to take notice; that it is reported by good authors; that grasshoppers and some fish have no mouths; but are nourished and take breath by the porousness of their gills; man knows not how: and this may be believed; if we consider that when the raven hath hatched her eggs; she takes no further care; but leaves her young ones to the care of the God of nature; who is said; in the Psalms; 〃to feed the young ravens that call upon him 〃。 And they be kept alive and fed by a dew; or worms that breed in their nests; or some other ways that we mortals know not。 And this may be believed of the Fordidge Trout; which; as it is said of the stork; that he knows his season; so he knows his times; I think almost his day of coming into that river out of the sea; where he lives; and; it is like; feeds; nine months of the year; and fasts three in the river of Fordidge。 And you are to note; that those townsmen are very punctual in observing the time of beginning to fish for them; and boast much; that their river affords a Trout that exceeds all others。 And just so does Sussex boast of several fish; as; namely; a Shelsey Cockle; a Chichester Lobster; an Arundel Mullet; and an Amerly Trout。
  And; now; for some confirmation of the Fordidge Trout: you are to know that this Trout is thought to eat nothing in the fresh water; and it may be the better believed; because it is well known; that swallows; and bats; and wagtails; which are called half…year birds; and not seen to fly in England for six months in the year; but about Michaelmas leave us for a hotter climate; yet some of them that have been left behind their fellows; have been found; many thousands at a time; in hollow trees; or clay caves; where they have been observed to live; and sleep out the whole winter; without meat。 And so Albertus observes; That there is one kind of frog that hath her mouth naturally shut up about the end of August; and that she lives so all the winter: and though it be strange to some; yet it is known to too many among us to be doubted。
  And so much for these Fordidge Trouts; which never afford an angler sport; but either live their time of being in the fresh water; by their meat formerly gotten in the sea; not unlike the swallow or frog; or; by the virtue of the fresh water only; or; as the birds of Paradise and the cameleon are said to live; by the sun and the air。
  There is also in Northumberland a Trout called a Bull…trout; of a much greater length and bigness than any in these southern parts; and there are; in many rivers that relate to the sea; Salmon…trouts; as much different from others; both in shape and in their spots; as we see sheep in some countries differ one from another in their shape and bigness; and in the fineness of the wool: and; certainly; as some pastures breed larger sheep; so do some rivers; by reason of the ground over which they run; breed larger Trouts。
  Now the next thing that I will commend to your consideration is; that the Trout is of a more sudden growth than other fish。 Concerning which; you are also to take notice; that he lives not so long as the Pearch; and divers other fishes do; as Sir Francis Bacon hath observed in his History of  Life and Death。
  And ne