Huntsman. Sir, it is not in my power to resolve you; I leave it to be
resolved by the college of Carthusians, who have made vows never to eat
flesh. But, I have heard, the question hath been debated among many
great clerks, and they seem to differ about it; yet most agree that her
tail is fish: and if her body be fish too, then I may say that a fish
will walk upon land: for an Otter does so sometimes, five or six or ten
miles in a night, to catch for her young ones, or to glut herself with
fish. And I can tell you that Pigeons will fly forty miles for a
breakfast: but, Sir, I am sure the Otter devours much fish, and kills
and spoils much more than he eats. And I can tell you, that this
dog-fisher, for so the Latins call him, can smell a fish in the water a
hundred yards from him: Gesner says much farther: and that his stones
are good against the falling sickness; and that there is an herb,
Benione, which, being hung in a linen cloth near a fish-pond, or any
haunt that he uses, makes him to avoid the place; which proves he smells
both by water and land. And, I can tell you, there is brave hunting this
water-dog in Cornwall; where there have been so many, that our learned
Camden says there is a river called Ottersey, which was so named by
reason of the abundance of Otters that bred and fed in it.
And thus much for my knowledge of the Otter; which you may now see above
water at vent, and the dogs close with him; I now see he will not last
long. Follow, therefore, my masters, follow; for Sweetlips was like to
have him at this last vent.
Venator. Oh me! all the horse are got over the river, what shall we do
now? shall we follow them over the water?
Huntsman. No, Sir, no; be not so eager; stay a little, and follow me;
for both they and the dogs will be suddenly on this side again, I
warrant you, and the Otter too, it may be. Now have at him with Kilbuck,
for he vents again.
Venator. Marry! so he does; for, look! he vents in that corner. Now,
now, Ringwood has him: now, he is gone again, and has bit the poor dog.
Now Sweetlips has her; hold her, Sweetlips! now all the dogs have her;
some above and some under water: but, now, now she is tired, and past
losing. Come bring her to me, Sweetlips. Look! it is a Bitch-otter, and
she has lately whelp'd. Let's go to the place where she was put down;
and, not far from it, you will find all her young ones, I dare warrant
you, and kill them all too.
Huntsman. Come, Gentlemen! come, all! let's go to the place where we put
down the Otter. Look you! hereabout it was that she kennelled; look you!
here it was indeed; for here's her young ones, no less than five: come,
let us kill them all.
Piscator. No: I pray, Sir, save me one, and I'll try if I can make her
tame, as I know an ingenious gentleman in Leicestershire, Mr. Nich.
Segrave, has done; who hath not only made her tame, but to catch fish,
and do many other things of much pleasure.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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