Piscator
The Umber and Grayling are thought by some to differ as the Herring and
Pilchard do. But though they may do so in other nations, I think those
in England differ nothing but in their names. Aldrovandus says, they be
of a Trout kind; and Gesner says, that in his country, which is
Switzerland, he is accounted the choicest of all fish. And in Italy, he
is, in the month of May, so highly valued, that he is sold there at a
much higher rate than any other fish. The French, which call the Chub Un
Villain, call the Umber of the lake Leman Un Umble Chevalier; and they
value the Umber or Grayling so highly, that they say he feeds on gold;
and say, that many have been caught out of their famous river of Loire,
out of whose bellies grains of gold have been often taken. And some
think that he feeds on water thyme, and smells of it at his first taking
out of the water; and they may think so with as good reason as we do
that our Smelts smell like violets at their being first caught, which I
think is a truth. Aldrovandus says, the Salmon, the Grayling, and Trout,
and all fish that live in clear and sharp streams, are made by their
mother Nature of such exact shape and pleasant colours purposely to
invite us to a joy and contentedness in feasting with her. Whether this
is a truth or not, is not my purpose to dispute: but 'tis certain, all
that write of the Umber declare him to be very medicinable. And Gesner
says, that the fat of an Umber or Grayling, being set, with a little
honey, a day or two in the sun, in a little glass, is very excellent
against redness or swarthiness, or anything that breeds in the eyes.
Salvian takes him to be called Umber from his swift swimming, or gliding
out of sight more like a shadow or a ghost than a fish. Much more might
be said both of his smell and taste: but I shall only tell you that St.
Ambrose, the glorious bishop of Milan, who lived when the church kept
fasting-days, calls him the flower-fish, or flower of fishes; and that
he was so far in love with him, that he would not let him pass without
the honour of a long discourse; but I must; and pass on to tell you how
to take this dainty fish.
First note, that he grows not to the bigness of a Trout; for the biggest
of them do not usually exceed eighteen inches. He lives in such rivers
as the Trout does; and is usually taken with the same baits as the Trout
is, and after the same manner; for he will bite both at the minnow, or
worm, or fly, though he bites not often at the minnow, and is very
gamesome at the fly; and much simpler, and therefore bolder than a
Trout; for he will rise twenty times at a fly, if you miss him, and yet
rise again. He has been taken with a fly made of the red feathers of a
paroquet, a strange outlandish bird; and he will rise at a fly not
unlike a gnat, or a small moth, or, indeed, at most flies that are not
too big. He is a fish that lurks close all Winter, but is very pleasant
and jolly after mid-April, and in May, and in the hot months. He is of a
very fine shape, his flesh is white, his teeth, those little ones that
he has, are in his throat, yet he has so tender a mouth, that he is
oftener lost after an angler has hooked him than any other fish. Though
there be many of these fishes in the delicate river Dove, and in Trent,
and some other smaller rivers, as that which runs by Salisbury, yet he
is not so general a fish as the Trout, nor to me so good to eat or to
angle for. And so I shall take my leave of him: and now come to some
observations of the Salmon, and how to catch him.
The fourth day-continued
The Salmon