First Thursday of the month designated for fasting and prayer (later changed to first Sunday by Wilford).
8th [FIGURE] I went to fishing with Father Richard
Smithies in the river ribble he is 70 years of age
& is considerd the greatest fisherman in the coun-
try. He fishes with the fly which is the greatest
art in fishing ever introduced his fish pole or rod
was about 14 feet long sumthing like cane vary slender
& delecate his long fine line made of hair & cat cgut
was wound around a small brass wheel with
a little crank to it fastend to the but end of the
pole the line then runs through half a dozen brass
rings or ilet holes fastend at a sutible distance
along on the rod to the small engd of it, one
the end of the fine fish linge is fastend 5 or
6 artifishal flies about 2 feet apart these
are upon a small cat gut almost as small as
a single hair, 25 or 30 feet of the line is unwond
from the reel at the but of the rod running through
the rings to the point the line is then flung upon
the water the same as though it was tied at
the end of the rod & the flies with a hook concealed
in each fswims down the stream the trout
instantly take it considering it the natural fly
they are hooked as soon as they strike it if
they are large trout & run they of their
own accord unwind as much line as ^they^ want
from the reel at the but of the poelle or rod
the fisherman does not pull the fish out
of water on the bank by the pole but worries
the fish in the water with the line untill
he will not struggle then he draws him
up to the shore by the line if he stands on
the bank or to him of [if] he stands in the water
he then takes a small hand net with a light
poelle 5 or 6 feet puts it under the fish & takes
him vary delibeately out of the water, Father
Smithies caught 7 trout & two cheven in
this way while we were with him. It was
the first time I had seen the fly used in
my life in the way of fishing, it [I] was delighted
with it. the rod & line was so light & flung
with such skill & dexterity that the trout
are beguiled & whare ever they are are generally
taken the fisherman has flies different for
almost ever month calculated to imitate the
flies that float upon the water at the time
they fish, these flies are made of the feathers
of birds some of various colors the trout will
often take them before the natural fly I was
much gratifyed with this days fishing. we
returned to Chatburn & Sister Parkinson
cooked the trout for us which made a good
meal we spent the night at Mr Parkinson 6 m[iles]
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Met in the Afternoon I blessed the bread & wine & it was administered to the Saints after which the time was taking up by the Brethren & Sisters in bearing testimony of the work of God, & the Power of God rested upon the congregation untill it melted us into tears this is the conference that Br Kimball speaks of in his Journal. I never saw a more
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