248 FACT AGAINST FICTION. 



the space of three or four hours, all on their down- 

 ward jiassagc to the sea, the mills above me and 

 the mill below me reaping a similar harvest of 

 this particular fish. Then, at a certain time of 

 year, during the summer, the return along the 

 edges of the river of countless millions of the little 

 elvers, supposed to be tlie offspring of the eels, 

 sufficiently accounts for the descent and purpose of 

 their progenitors. These little eels are as delicious, 

 or nearly so, as whitebait, when dressed in the 

 same fashion. 



This enormous amount of descending eels being 

 thoroughly ascertained, it is natural to look for a 

 return of the same fish when the duties of procre- 

 ation are over ; but unless they return in some 

 other guise or condition than that in which they 

 ^' run,'- or in which they went down, those millions of 

 fish are lost to further observation. This brings us 

 to the next question — of the eel and snig. The 

 eels seek the sea, as I have previously said, with 

 the first flood of autumn. We Avill assign that 

 flood, tlien, to the month of September, and they 

 continue to descend during October, and even into 

 November, of course diminishing in quantity flood 

 by flood. 



