PROLEGOMENON. 25 



turned around and darted after the vessel, and, before the 

 pilot-fish could overtake him and interpose, snapped at tho 

 bait, and was taken. In hoisting him up, one of the pilots 

 was observed to cling to his side until he was half above 

 water, and then fall off. All the pilot-fish then swam about 

 for a while, as if in search of their FRIEND, with every 

 apparent mark of anxiety and distress, and afterwards 

 darted suddenly down into the depths of the sea." Cu- 

 VIER Pisces, p. 637. 



Wonderful fidelity and devotion of pilot-fish and sharks, 

 far transcending the affections of men, clinging together 

 even in death ! 



Many persons may know a few singed rats of pettifogging 

 lawyers in the State of Pennsylvania who would here, 

 with their usual affectation of infallible cat-smartness, and 

 real cat cunningness, treachery, and unholdable eel-sli mi- 

 ness, immediately raise the question, Was it real love that 

 actuated that pilot-fish to hold on to the shark, pure, dis- 

 interested personal affection, or did not the shark, from the 

 evidence of some of the facts of the case, (that might have 

 been adduced,) or presumption in the case, owe the pilot a fee? 

 This individual the pilot-fish represents with miraculous 

 and transcendent fidelity the legal profession, at least the 

 small fry of scaly attorneys always found bumping their 

 noses obsequiously around the shark, or money man. 



Abundant issues with this fish and his friend the shark 

 were destined to come off, and in due course of time came; 

 but all this was inscrutably hidden in the future from the 

 vision of that unfortunate doctor lost in his dreams. Having 

 faith larger than a bushel of mustard-seed in this scheme 

 of a Sanitarium, moving a mountain seemed no difficult 

 affair. Sequel inevitable, if the mountain would not move 

 ********** 



And this, very unexpectedly certainly, brought also the 

 great tragical issues of history among the pine-roots and 

 rocks of the Alleghany Mountains, and gave solemnity and 

 grandeur to the apparently contemptible events of the hour, 



