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The Fish Avatar of Vishnu, with Scenes
 Illustrating Life of Krishna		[Frontispiece]
The Oldest (save one) Representation of
 Angling, c. 1400 b.c.		[Title page]
Poseidon, Heracles, and Hermes Fishing [11]
Aztec Fishing [22]
Aztec Boating [23]
Palæolithic Engravings: Seals, Dead Trout,
 and (?) Eels		 [26]
Alaskan Hook with a Wizard’s Head [28]
Bone Gorges [32]
(1) The Eurycantha latro. (2) Hook made from its
 Leg Joints		facing[34]
Barbed Harpoons [37]
Broken Harpoon from Kent’s Cave [37]
Fishing Net spun by Spidersfacing[42]
Fishermen on the Vase of Phylakopi”[63]
“In at the Death””[72]
Methods of Fishing, from Roman Mosaic [75]
Mr. Minchin’s Explanation of κέρας [83]
The Dolphin and the Boy of Iasos [96]
Cutting up the Tunny [100]
Artemis with a large Fish painted on her Dress [127]
“The Happy Fisherman” [131]
The Fowler’s Rod [149]
Venus and Cupid Angling [168]
Torpedo Fishfacing[180]
(1) Fisherman and Son. (2) Son saluting Wayside Hermes [186]
The Naked Fisherman of the Vaticanfacing[201]
Two Men Fishing [220]
Arethusa [221]
A Greek Anglerfacing[235]
Mycenæan Hooks [238]
Angling with Wine, from a Mosaic at Melosfacing[240]
Fish on a Pompeian Mosaic in the Naples Museum”[254]
Head of Tiberius. Temple with two Columns in shape of Fish,
 from a Coin of Abdera		 [273]
The Rape of Helen, from a Fifth Century b.c. Scyphos [294]
The Return of Helen ”””” [296]
Egyptians carrying a large Fish [300]
Early Harpoons [308]
An Egyptian Reelfacing[309]
Spearing Fish”[309]
Senbi Spearing Fish[310]
The Earliest Representation of Angling and Hand-liningfacing[314]
A Fishing Scene”[318]
The Oxyrhyncus taking the place of the Bird Soul [328]
Fisherman wading with Creel round Neckfacing[349]
Men Fishing astride Goatskins”[355]
The Net of Ningirsu (so-called)”[358]
Fish-God [365]
Gilgamesh carrying Fish [367]
The Demon of the South-west Wind [370]
The Fight between Marduk and Tiāmatfacing[392]
Tobias, in La Madonna del Pesce,by Raphael”[397]
A pre-Inca Fishing Scene [399]
Atargatis, from a Coin of Hierapolis [426]
Jonah entering the Whale’s Mouth, from a 14th Century MS. [439]
Jonah leaving  ””””” [442]
Chinese Anglingfacing[449]
Chinese Fishing”[458]

ANCIENT FISHING

INTRODUCTION

PART I

“And first for the Antiquity of Angling, I shall not say much; but onely this: Some say, it is as ancient as Deucalion’s Floud: and others (which I like better) say that Belus (who was the inventer of godly and vertuous Recreations) was the Inventer of it: and some others say (for former times have had their Disquisitions about it) that Seth, one of the sons of Adam, taught it to his sons, and that by them it was derived to Posterity. Others say, that he left it engraven on those Pillars, which hee erected to preserve the knowledge of Mathematicks, Musick, and the rest of those precious Arts, which by God’s appointment or allowance, and his noble industry were thereby preserved from perishing in Noah’s Floud.”—Isaak Walton, The Compleat Angler.

“You see the way the Fisherman doth take To catch the Fish; what Engins doth he make? Behold how he ingageth all his wits, Also his Snares, Lines, Angles, Hooks, and Nets. Yet fish there be, that neither Hook, nor Line, Nor Snare, nor Net, nor Engin can make thine; They must be grop’t for, and be tickled too, Or they will not be catch’t, whate’er you do.”

John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress. (The Author’s Apology for his book.)