260 WAITE 
markets; yet, when eaten fresh, as all fish should-be, it is 
extremely palatable, and considering its plenitude could be 
sold at a moderate price. 
Though excellent as food, there is considerable prejudice 
against eating the flesh of eels; this is doubtless largely due to 
the interpretation of the biblical injunction against eating fishes 
devoid of fins and scales :— 
‘* And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat.”’ 
All eels are generally regarded as being scaleless, but this is: 
not so, for members of the family of fresh-water eels (Anguil- 
lidae) have true seales imbedded in their skins, which become 
quite apparent when the skin is dried; they also have ample 
pectoral fins, so that even those who desire to conform to the 
Mosaic law, need have no compunction in eating the fresh-water 
eel, under the belief that it is scaleless and finless. 
Personally, I prefer the Conger Eel (Leptocephalus), a species 
which, though possessing fins similar to the fresh-water eel, is 
absolutely devoid of scales. This fine sea eel is not uncommon 
in our waters, and attains to a length of at least seven feet; it 
possesses the recommendation of being very fleshy, and the large 
bones cannot be overlooked. The fresh-water eel abounds in 
our lagoons, and is a very great favourite with the Maoris. It 
is so plentiful in Lake Ellesmere, for example, that a boat may 
be filled with them in a night by a few spoytsmen furnished with 
torches and eel-spears. Eels are accounted of better flavour 
when taken in the estuaries than when drawn from fresh-water. 
To those who have no innate prejudice against eels, but who 
dislike the flesh as such, it may be said that everything depends 
upon the way in which they are cooked. 
‘One more piece of advice, and I close my appeals— 
That is—if you chance to be partial to eels, 
Then—Crede experto—trust one who has tried— 
Have them spitch-cock’d—or stewed—they’re too oily when 
fried !’’ 
Being desirous of tasting as many different kinds of fish as 
possible, it will be understood that our menu on the trawler 
was somewhat varied as far as fish is concerned. On one 
occasion we had Elephant Fish (Callorhynchus) on the 
‘*saloon’’ table, and found it to be of quite delicate flavour and 
texture: the crew, however, to whom it was also served refused 
even to taste it, threw it overboard, and, if I mistake not, com- 
plained to the master that the cook was serving them with shark 
for meals; considering that there was plenty of prime fish on 
