The proper hours for angling, are from the time that the tide is half ebbed, to within two hours of the high water, provided the land floods do not come down.

Always pitch your boat under the wind: that is, if the wind be in south, then keep on the Surry shore; if north, on the London side.

The best place for pitching a boat to angle in the Thames, are about one hundred and fifty yards from York Stairs; the Savoy, Somersethouse, Dorset Stairs, Black-Friar's Stairs; the Dung-Wharf near Water-Lane, Trig Stairs, and Essex Stairs. On Surry side, Falcon Stairs; Barge Houses; Cuper's, vulgo Cupid's Stairs; the Wind-mill, and Lambeth.

There are very good roach and dace to be caught at Westminster Bridge, if the weather is favourable in the Autumn; the fifth arch on the north side is best to pitch the boat.

When you go to angle at Chelsea, on a calm fair day, the wind being in a right corner, pitch your boat almost opposite to the church and angle in the six or seven feet water, where, as well as at Battersea Bridge, you will meet with plenty of roach and dace.

Mortlake Deeps is the next place where roach principally resort, when the weeds are rotten; and here are good carp very often taken.

From the sides of the Aits opposite to Brentford, Isleworth, and Twickenham, there is very good angling for roach, dace, gudgeons, and perch; very often you will meet with trout and carp. Teddington Banks are remarkable for good gudgeon, roach, &c.

Kingston-wick and Kingston, are famous for barbel, roach, and dace.

At Hampton and Sanbury there is good ang

ling for barbel, roach, duce, chub, gudgeons, and skeggers; and from the Aits, for trout and large perch.

Walton Deeps and Shepperton Pool abound with large barbel and dace.

At and about Windsor is a variety of all sorts of fish; but if a man be found angling in another's water, (without leave) he is fined very high by the court of that town, if he only catches a single gudgeon, &c.

Of the rivers that empty themselves in the Thames, and of others which are not far from it, I shall begin with those on the north-side.

1. Ilford river, the upper part of which abounds with roach, dace, and some peích, but between Ilford and the Thames, especially about three miles from the town, there is pike.

2. Woodford-river, stored with perch, chub, roach, and dace.

3. Stratford-river affords the angler good diversion for 1oach, dace, chub, perch, &c.

4. Bow-river, having the same fishing as the Stratford-river.

5. Hackney-river, having plenty of large barbel, chub, roach, dace, gudgeon, eels, and lampreys. In this river the barbel, eels, and gudgeon, are very fine. The river Lea runs here, and the higher you go up it the greater sport you will have: The Rye-louse, near Hoddeston (famous for the plot) is an excellent part to go for diver

sion.

6. Waltham-river, besides large barbel, chub, roach, dace, gudgeon, and eels, has good store of fine pike, and some carp.

7. The New-river, pretty well stored with chub, roach, dace, gudgeon, and eels.

8. Brentford-river, a good one formerly, but

now much abused by poachers; but the angler may meet with some chub, roach, duce, and perch. 9. Hounslow-river, well stored with roach, dace, perch, pike, and gudgeon.

The powder-mill tail, near Hounslow, is a very good place for angling.

10. Colne-river, abounding with chub, roach, dace, perch, and pike.

11. Uxbridge-river, excellent for its large and fat trouts; but as the water is rented, not only leave must be obtained to angle in it; but you must pay so much per pound for what you kill. Denham, near Uxbridge, is a very famous place. Having now done with the north side, I proceed to the south of the Thames.

1. Deptford-river, now very much decayed, and has but a few fish in it, as roach, duce, and flounders; though by chance you may meet with

a trout.

2. Lewisham-river in which are some good trouts, large rouch, chub, gudgeon, perch, and

dace.

3. Wandsworth-river, well stored with gudgeon, dace, flounders, perch, pike, and some carp, and trouts; very large silver eels are often taken there.

4. Mitcham-river; its principal fish are trouts. 5. Merton-river, for trouts also.

6. Carshalton-river, abounding with trouts, and other white fishes.

7. Moulsey-river, yielding perch, jack, roach, dace chub, gudgeon, eels, flounders, barbels, and

trouts.

8. Esher-river, good for jacks, perch, chub, roach, dace, gudgeon, eels, flounders, barbels, and

trouts.

9. Cobham-river, stored with plenty of good

trouts, fat and large, as also dace, perch, chubs, jacks, and gudgeons.

10. Weybridge-river, affording good diver sion for carp, some of which weigh eight or nine pounds; also jack, roach, dace, flounders, popes, large blake, barbel, and gudgeons.

11. Byfleet-river, wherein are very large pikes, jacks, and tench; perch, of eighteen inches long; good carp, large flounders, bream, roach, duce, gudgeon, popes, large chub, and eels.

I shall conclude this account of the Thames, and the principal rivers that fall into and compose it, with the following beautiful lines of Mr. Pope.

First the fam'd authors of his ancient name,
The winding Isis, and the fruitful Thame ;
The Kennet swift, for silver eels renown'd;
The Loddon slow, with verdent alders crown'd,
Cole, whose dark streams his flow'ry islands lave
And chalky Wey, that rolls a milky wave:
The blue transparent Vandalis appears ;
The gulfy Lea his sedgy tresses rears;
And sullen Mole, that hides his dividing flood;
And silent Darent, stain'd with Danish blood.

1st. The Penalty of Fishing in Ponds and other private Fisheries.

1. ANY man may erect a fish-pond without licence, because it is a matter of profit for the increase of victuals. 2. Inst. 199.

2. If any trespassers in ponds be therefore

and large

attained at the suit of the party, great amends shall be awarded according to the tres pass; and they shall have three years imprisonment, and after shall make fine at the king's pleasure, (if they have whereof) and then shall find good surety that after they shall not commit the like trespass; and if they have not whereof to make fine, after three years imprisonment, they shall find like surety; and if they cannot find like surety, they shall abjour the realm. And if none sue within the year and day, the king shall have suit. 3. Ed. I. c. 20. Note, those are trespassers in ponds, who endeavour to take fish therein. 2. Inst. 200.

3. If any person shall unlawfully break, cut, or destroy, any head or dam of a fish-pond, or shall wrongfully fish therein, with intent to take and kill fish, he shall on conviction, at the suit of the king, or of the party, at the assizes or sessions, be imprisoned three months, and pay. treble damages; and after three months is expired shall find sureties for his good abearing for seven years, or remain in prison till he doth, 5. El. c. 21. s. 2. 6.

4. Whereas divers idle, disorderly and mean persons, betake themselves to the stealing, taking and killing of fish, out of ponds, pools, mots, stews, and other several waters and rivers, to the great damage of the owners thereof; it is enacted that if any person shall use any net, angle, hair, noose, troll, or spear: or shall lay any wears, pots, fish-hooks, or other engines; or shall take any fish by any means or device whatever, or by aiding thereunto, in any river, stew, pond, mot, or other water, without the consent of the lord or owner of the water; and be thereof convicted, by confession, or oath of one witness,

P