1.

The flood's Queen, Thames, for ships and swans is
crown'd,

And stately Severn for her shore is prais'd;
The chrystal Trent for fords and fish renown'd,
And Avon's fame to Albion's cliffs is rais'd:

2.

Carlegion Chester vaunts her holy Dee:
York many wonders of her Ouse can tell:
The Peak her Dove, whose banks so fertile be,
And Kent will say, her Medway doth excel.

3.

Cotswold commands her Isis to the Tame:
Our northern borders boasts of 'Tweed's fair flood:
Our western parts extol their Willy's fame,
And the old Lea brags of the Danish blood.

But let me return to the Thames, of which, and the rivers that fall into it, I shall treat somewhat particularly, as they are more the seat for the diversion of angling than any others. The higher an angler goes up the Thames, if within about forty miles, the more sport, and the greater variety of fish he will meet with; but as few Londoners go far from home, I shall mention the best places for Thames angling from London Bridge to Chelsea.

But before I proceed any farther on this subject, it will be necessary to lay down some rules which the angler must attend to.

If the air is cold, and raw, the wind high, the water rough, or if the weather is wet, it is totally useless to angle in the Thames.

But when the sky is serene, the air temperate, and the water smooth, success will attend you.

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 Fattersea 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, dace, chub, gudgeons, and skeggers; and from the Aits, for trout and large perch.

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

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 perch, 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 duce.

3. Stratford-river affords the angler good diversion for roach, 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-house, near Hoddeston (famous for the plot) is an excellent part to go for diversion.

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, dace, 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 roach, 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, rouch, 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 diversion for carp, some of which weigh eight or nine pounds; also jack, roach, duce, 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, 1oach, 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.

CHAP. VII.

OF THE GAME LAWS RELATING TO ANGLING,

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