_Go afishing--Catch a beast-fish--Afraid of the gun--How Peter altered
his net--Fish dinner for the guards--Method of dressing and eating it._
I APPEARED before them in the morning, in my old jacket, and an old
hat with brims indented almost to the crown, a flannel nightcap,
and chequered shirt. "How now, son!" says my father, "what have we
here?"--"Sir," says I, "this will show you the use of our English
fashion I mentioned the other day, and the necessity of it. You see me
in this indifferent habit, because my next business requires it; but
when I come back, and have no further dirty work to do, I shall then
dress, as near as I can, to qualify me for your company."
"Are you for moving, gentlemen?" says my brother; "I believe it is
time." They then all arising we went to the lake, where getting into my
boat, and telling them that any six of them might go with me, they never
having seen such a thing before, and not much liking the looks of it,
all made excuses, till my brother assuring them it was very safe, and
that he had sailed in it the last trip, three or four of them, with my
father, and Hallycarnie, who was very desirous of seeing me fish, got
in, and we sailed a great way up the lake, taking my gun as usual with
me.
It gave me exceeding delight to see the whole body of people then in the
arkoe on the graundee; some hovering over our heads, and talking with
us; others flying this way, others that, till I had pitched upon a spot
to begin my operation; when rowing to shore, and quitting my boat, the
whole body of people settled just by me, staring at me and my net, and
wondering what I was doing. I then taking a sweep as usual, got some of
the soldiers to assist me to shore with it; but when the cod of the net
landed, and the fish began to dash with their tails at the water's edge,
away ran all my soldiers, frighted out of their wits to think what was
coming: but it being a large hale, and a shelving bank, I could not lift
it to the level myself; which my brother, who had seen the sport before,
perceiving, though not one of the rest stirred, lent me a hand, and we
got it up.
You cannot imagine what surprise appeared in every face upon opening the
net, and seeing all the fish naked. They drew up by degrees closer and
closer, for I let the fish lie some time for their observation; but
seeing the large fish, upon my handling them, flap their tails, they
very expeditiously retired again. I then tossed several of them into the
boat; but two of them being very large, and rough-scaled ugly fish,
I did not think I could lift them myself, so desired assistance, but
nobody stirred. I expected some of the colambs would have ordered their
men to have helped me, but they were so terrified with seeing me handle
them, that they could not have the conscience to order their men on so
severe a duty, till a common man came to me, and taking the tail, and I
the head, we tossed them both into the boat.
I went higher up the lake than usual, in hopes of a beast-fish to show
them; but though I could not meet with one, I had several very great
hauls, and took three or four of my lobsters, very large ones. This was
the second trial I had made of my net since I had altered it, and it
gave me great satisfaction, for I could now take as many fish at one
draught as I could before have done at ten. I had found that though my
net was very long, yet for want of a bag, or cod, to enclose the fish,
many that were included within its compass would, whilst I drew round,
swim to the extremes, and so get out, for want of some inlet to enter
at; for which reason I sawed off the top of a tree at about ten feet
from the ground, and drawing a circle of six feet diameter round the
tree, on the ground, I stuck it round with small pegs, at two inches'
distance. Then I drove the like number of nails round the top of the
trunk of the tree, and straining a length of mat-line from each peg on
the ground to a correspondent nail on the tree, I tied my matline in
circles round the strained lines, from top to bottom, about two inches'
distance at the bottom, but at a less distance where the strained lines
grew nearer to each other towards the top; and having secured all the
ends, by some line twisted round them, I cut a hole in the middle of
my net, and tied the large ground-end over the hole in the net, and
gathered the small end up in a purse, tying it up tight; and by this
means I now scarce lost any fish which once were within the sweep of my
net.
Having had so good success, I had a design of returning, but thought,
as I could now so easily entertain a multitude, I might as well take
another haul or two, and make a handsome treat for the soldiery. Then
coming up to my drill's mouth, I fixed my implements for a draught
there, and beginning to draw up, I found great resistance in the net,
and got two or three to help me; but, coming near shore, when the
company saw the net tumble and roll, and rise and fall, they all ran as
if they were mad, till I called them and told the colambs it was only
one of the fish whose skins I had shown them; upon which, by that time I
had discharged the fish from the net, they were all round me again; but
no sooner had he got loose, than up he rose, whirled his wings, and at
the same instant uttered such a groan that my whole company retreated
again, thinking me somewhat more than a man, who could face so dreadful
an enemy. I entreated them to come and view it; but finding no arguments
could bring them nearer, I edged round till I got him between me and the
water, and shot him dead.
Upon the report of my gun the whole field was in the air, darting
and screaming, as I have often seen a flight of rooks do on the same
occasion; and I am apt to believe some of them never returned again, but
went directly home.
I was a little concerned to see the confusion I had caused; and laying
down my gun, my brother, who though at a distance when I shot,
knowing what I was at, and coming up to me, it put the rest upon their
consideration; and they alighted one by one, at a distance, till they
were all on the level again.
My father and the colambs, who were the first that durst approach,
wondered what I had done, and how the fish came to be dead, and whence
so much fire and smoke proceeded, for they were sure I brought none
with me, and asked me abundance of questions; but as I knew I must
have occasion for answering to the same thing twenty times over, had I
entered upon an explanation there, I deferred giving them satisfaction
till we came home, when all at once might be capable of hearing what was
said. So I told them the most necessary thing at present was to stow the
fish in the boat; for it was the largest I had ever taken, and I could
not wholly do it myself. I made several efforts for help, but in vain,
till the same soldier who had helped me with one of the first fish, came
to my relief, and desiring my orders what to do, assisted me; and the
rest seeing the difficulty we both had to manage it, one or two more of
them came up, and we shipped it on board.
I then called the colambs to me, telling them I was sorry I had given
such a general disturbance to them, by shooting the fish; but as they
kept at too great a distance from me to have notice of my design, and if
I had followed them the fish might have escaped before my return, I was
obliged to do as I did, which was without any possibility of hurting
them. But, as I had given them such a fright, I hoped they would this
one day give me an opportunity of complimenting their guards with a
fish-dinner, if we could any way contrive to dress it; for whoever did
that must be able to bear the close light of a large fire. They all
shook their heads but my brother, who told me he had in his retinue
six men from Mount Alkoe, purposely retained for their strong sight, to
attend him always to Crashdoorpt, who, he believed, for the benefit
of the rest, would undertake the cookery if I would show them how. I
desired he would give them orders to attend me on the other side of the
lake, and I would instruct them at my landing; and then I crossed over
with my booty.
Finding the Mount Alkoe men waiting for my landing, I asked if they
could bear the sight of fire. They told me they were used to much
greater light and flames than I had ever seen, they believed.--"Very
good," said I; "then get into my boat, three of you, and hand out that
fish to the shore."--I found they were more afraid of the fish than
of the fire, for not one of them stirred till I got in and tossed out
several small ones; and then taking up a large one, "Help me, somebody!"
says I, they looking a little at one another, till one of them venturing
to take it, the rest fell heartily to work, and despatched the whole
lading presently. I then laid a small parcel upon my cart, for our own
eating and the officers', and sending them to the grotto, I gave the
cooks their charge.
"Now," says I, "my lads, do you serve all the rest of the fish as I do
this," cutting it open at the same time, and throwing away the guts,
"and I will send each of you such an instrument as I use here," pointing
to my knife. "I shall order six large heaps of wood to the level, to
be piled up there. When you have done the fish, do you set fire to the
heaps, and let them burn till the flame is over and the coals are clear;
then lay on your fish, and if any are too large to be manageable, cut
them in proper pieces, and with sticks, which I will send you, turn them
over and over, walking round the fire, and with the forked end of the
stick toss the least off first, and afterwards the greater; but be sure
throw the fish as far as ever you can from the fire, amongst the men,
that they may not be obliged to come too near it: and in this manner go
on, till either they have enough, or your fish are gone; and when you
have done, come to the grotto for your reward."
I then set abundance of hands to work to carry wood, to be laid in six
heaps, two hundred paces from each other, and told them how to pile it.
I then prepared six long taper sticks with forked ends, and ordered more
hands to divide the fish equally to the piles. I sent others with salt
and bread; and I ordered them to let me know when all was ready.
While these preparations were making, my tent-visitors had all dined,
and my cart had returned with the beast-fish, which the company desired
might be brought in, when every one passed his judgment upon it, and a
long dissertation we had on the marvellous works of Collwar. I let
them go on with their show, though I could have disproved most of their
conclusions from the little knowledge I had of things; but I never was
knight-errant enough to oppose my sentiments to a multitude already
prepossessed on the other side of the question; for this reason, because
I have ever observed that where several have imbibed the same ridiculous
principle in infancy, they never want arguments, though ever so
ridiculous, to support it; and as no one of them can desert it without
impeaching the judgment of the rest, they encourage each other in their
obstinacy, and quite out-vote a single person; and then, the laugh
beginning on the strongest side, nothing is so difficult as to get it
out of their hands. But when a single man in the wrong hears a just
argument from a single antagonist which he cannot contradict, he imbibes
its force, and whilst that lasts, as nothing but a better argument,
with better reasons, can remove it, he from thenceforth adapts his
adversary's reasons for his own, to oppose against his own former
opinion.
In the height of our disputations on the beast-fish, came news that the
broil was going to begin; and as I expected very good diversion at it, I
invited the company to go see it, telling them, in my opinion, it would
exceed the sport in taking them. We passed through the wood till we came
amongst the shrubs, where I placed them to be out of harm's way; and
the fire, which was now nothing but cinders, was of no inconvenience to
them. They were pleased with it to perfection; for, first, the six men
who walked round the fires, by the glowing light of the embers and the
shining of their graundees, looked like men on fire; then, to see each
fire surrounded with a circle of men at the diameter of near two hundred
paces, as close as they could well stand, by a more distant shine of the
fire, had a very pleasing effect; but when the broilers began to throw
the fish about (for each man stood with some salt and a cut of bread
in his hand), to see a body of a hundred men running for it, and whilst
they were stooping and scrambling for that, to see a hot fish fall on
the back of one, which was whipped off by another, who, scalding his
mouth with it, threw it in the face of a third; when a fourth, fifth,
and sixth, pulling it in pieces, ran away with it; and to see the
different postures, courses, and groups, during this exercise and
running feast, was the most agreeable farce my guests had ever seen in
their lives; and, to the great saving of my liquors, kept us in the wood
for full three hours, not a soul stirring till the feast was over.
We spent best part of this evening in discourse on the passages of
the day, the reflections on which not being concluded till bedtime,
my adventures were postponed till the next night; but we had first
concluded upon a shooting for the next morning (for they were all
extremely desirous of knowing how I did it), at a time they should have
opportunity of seeing me and making remarks; and I, being unwilling they
should think me a conjuror, agreed to make them masters of part of the
mystery of powder and ball.
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