THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 27 



As namely of a river in Epirus, that puts out any lighted 

 torch, and kindles any torch that was not lighted.* Some waters 

 being drank cause madness, some drunkenness, and some laughter 

 to deatli.f The river Selarus :{: in a few hours turns a rod or 

 wand to stone ; and our Camden mentions the like in Eno-land, 

 and the like in Lochmere in Ireland. There is also a river in 

 Arabia, of which all the sheep that drink thereof have their wool 

 turned into a vermilion color.§ And one of no less credit than 

 Aristotle,' tells us of a merry river, the river Elusina, that dances 

 at the noise of music, for with music it bubbles, dances, and 

 grows sandy, and so continues till the music ceases, but then it 

 presently returns to its wonted calmness and clearness. || And 

 Camden tells us of a well near to Kirby in Westmoreland, that 

 ebbs and flows several times every day : and he tells us of a 

 river in Surrey, it is called Mole, IF that after it has run several 

 miles, being opposed by hills, finds or makes itself a way under 

 ground, and breaks out again so far off, that the inhabitants there- 

 about boast, as the Spaniards do of their river Anus, that they 

 feed divers flocks of sheep upon a bridge. And lastly, for I 

 would not tire your patience, one of no less authority than Jose- 



» Var. In the margin of the first edition is inserted : In his Wonders 

 of Nature. This is confirmed by Ennius and Solon in his holy history. 



* From evolving sulphuretted hydrogen gas. {Rennie.) What are 

 called in this country burning springs.^ — Am. Ed. 



f Poisonous water. 



X Selarus, properly Silarus, the modern Silaro, on the banks of which 

 stand the ruins of Psestum. The waters retain the quality to this day. 

 Lochmere is Loch Neagh. It requires more than a few hours to produce 

 the petrifaction. — Am. Ed. 



§ The river referred to was probably the Adonis, running out of Mount 

 Libanus, which turns red, from the red soil of the mountain at the time 

 of freshets. This the Biblyans connected with the story of the death of 

 Adonis, in honor of whom they kept the Adonia. The reader will find a 

 full account in Lucian's Syrian Goddess, and in Dupuis, Origine des 

 Cultcs, vol. iv. — Am. Ed. 



II A report no doubt taken from some bubbling spring. — Rennie. 



H This notion of the Mole is found in Drayton's Poly-OIbion, Milton on 

 Rivers, and Pope's Windsor Forest. It arises from the bed of the river 

 being of absorbent earth, into which in dry seasons it seems to disappear. — 

 Defoe's Tour through England ; Dallawaj/'s Letherceum sive Hurti Lethe- 

 raanu 



