THE FISHERMAN AND THE PLAYERS.
Now who is ther that han't a hir'd
O' one young TOM CAME?
A Fisherman of Huntspill,
An a well-knawn name.
A knaw'd much moor o' fishin
Than many vawk bezides;
An a knaw'd much moor than mooäst about
Tha zea an âll tha tides.
A knaw'd well how ta make buts,
An hullies too an jitch,
An up an down tha river whaur
Tha best place vor ta pitch.
A knaw'd âll about tha stake-hangs
Tha zâlmon vor ta catch;—
Tha pitchin an tha dippin net,—
Tha Slime an tha Mud-Batch.
[Footnote: Two islands well known in the River Parret, near its
mouth. Several words will be found in this Poem which I have not
placed in the Glossary, because they seem too local and
technical to deserve a place there: they shall be here explained,
To Pitch, v.n. To fish with a boat and a pitchin-net in a proper position across the current so that the fish may be caught.
Pitchin-net. s. A large triangular net attached to two poles, and used with a boat for the purpose, chiefly, of catching salmon.—The fishing boats in the Parret, are flat- bottomed, in length about seventeen feet, about four feet and a half wide, and pointed at both ends: they are easily managed by one person, and rarely, if ever, known to overturn.
Dippen-net. s. A small net somewhat semicircular, and attached to two round sticks for sides, and a long pole for a handle. It is used for the purpose of dipping salmon and some other fish, as the shad, out of water.
Gad. s. A long pole, having an iron point to it, so that it may be easily thrust into the ground. Two gads are used for each boats. Their uses are to keep the boat steady across the current in order that the net may be in a proper position.]
A handled too iz gads well
His paddle and iz oor;
[Footnote: Oar.]
A war âlways bawld an fearless—
A, when upon tha Goor.
[Footnote: The Gore. Dangerous sands so called, at the mouth of
the River Parret, in the Bristol Channel.]
O' heerins, sprats, an porpuses—
O' âll fish a cood tell;
Who bit he amangst tha Fishermen—
A âlways bear'd tha bell.
Tommy Came ad hired o' Plâyers,
Bit niver zeed 'em plâ;
Thâ war actin at Bejwâter;
There a went wi' Sally Dâ.
When tha curtain first drâw'd up, than
Sapriz'd war Tommy Came;
A'd hâf a mine ta him awâ,
Bit stapp'd vor very shame.
Tha vust act bein auver
Tha zecond jist begun,
Tommy Came still wonder'd grately,
Ta him it war naw fun.
Zaw âter lookin on zumtime,
Ta understand did strive;
There now, zed he, I'll gee my woth
[Footnote: Oath.]
That thâ be all alive!