I went higher up the lake than usual, in hopes of a beast-fish to show them; but though I could not meet with one, I had several very great hauls, and took three or four of my lobsters, very large ones. This was the second trial I had made of my net since I had altered it, and it gave me great satisfaction, for I could now take as many fish at one draught as I could before have done at ten. I had found that though my net was very long, yet for want of a bag, or cod, to enclose the fish, many that were included within its compass would, whilst I drew round, swim to the extremes, and so get out, for want of some inlet to enter at; for which reason I sawed off the top of a tree at about ten feet from the ground, and drawing a circle of six feet diameter round the tree, on the ground, I stuck it round with small pegs, at two inches' distance. Then I drove the like number of nails round the top of the trunk of the tree, and straining a length of mat-line from each peg on the ground to a correspondent nail on the tree, I tied my matline in circles round the strained lines, from top to bottom, about two inches' distance at the bottom, but at a less distance where the strained lines grew nearer to each other towards the top; and having secured all the ends, by some line twisted round them, I cut a hole in the middle of my net, and tied the large ground-end over the hole in the net, and gathered the small end up in a purse, tying it up tight; and by this means I now scarce lost any fish which once were within the sweep of my net. Having had so good success, I had a design of returning, but thought, as I could now so easily entertain a multitude, I might as well take another haul or two, and make a handsome treat for the soldiery. Then coming up to my drill's mouth, I fixed my implements for a draught there, and beginning to draw up, I found great resistance in the net, and got two or three to help me; but, coming near shore, when the company saw the net tumble and roll, and rise and fall, they all ran as if they were mad, till I called them and told the colambs it was only one of the fish whose skins I had shown them; upon which, by that time I had discharged the fish from the net, they were all round me again; but no sooner had he got loose, than up he rose, whirled his wings, and at the same instant uttered such a groan that my whole company retreated again, thinking me somewhat more than a man, who could face so dreadful an enemy. I entreated them to come and view it; but finding no arguments could bring them nearer, I edged round till I got him between me and the water, and shot him dead. Upon the report of my gun the whole field was in the air, darting and screaming, as I have often seen a flight of rooks do on the same occasion; and I am apt to believe some of them never returned again, but went directly home.