52 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



years ago, many persons having come a great dis- 

 tance to see her ; and those who have witnessed her 

 actions (of whom there are many in the city of 

 Exeter) can bear testimony to the truth of the 

 following statement : " She would come to the top 

 of the water and take meat off a plate, and would 

 devour a quarter of a pound of lean meat in less 

 time than a man could eat it ; she would also allow 

 Mr. Dormer to take her out of the water, and, when 

 put into it again, she would immediately take meat 

 from his hands, or would even bite the finger if pre- 

 sented to her. Some time since a little girl teased 

 her, by presenting the finger and then withdrawing 

 it, till at last she leaped a considerable height above 

 the water, and caught her by the said finger, which 

 made it bleed profusely : by this leap she threw 

 herself completely out of the water into the court. 

 At one time a young duckling got into the well to 

 solace himself in his favourite element, when she 

 immediately seized him by the leg, and took him 

 under water ; but the timely interference of Mr. 

 Dormer prevented any further mischief than making 

 a cripple of the young duck. At another time a full- 

 grown drake approached the well, and put in his 

 head to take a draught of the water, when Mrs. 

 Fish, seeing a trespasser on her premises, immedi- 

 ately seized the intruder by the bill, and a desperate 

 struggle ensued, which at last ended in the release 

 of Mr. Drake from the grasp of Mrs. Fish, and no 

 sooner freed than Mr. Drake flew off in the greatest 

 consternation and affright ; since which time to this 

 day he has not been seen to approach the well, and 



