* 



VORACITY OF EELS. 213 



go beyond your water ; and you will have a more 

 successful day of it, if you wait till your neighbour 

 below has sunned his water. If the river continues 

 low for some time, disturbed fish will be continually 

 coming forward, and you may go over your water two 

 or three times at different periods, till you have caught 

 nearly every fish that takes up his seat in it. 



If a salmon gets off your leister wounded, being 

 weak, you may be sure he will go down the river; 

 and the eels will come out instantly, if it be hot 

 weather, and follow the blood : if the fish is badly 

 wounded, although not dead, the said eels will soon 

 settle the matter, and eat out his flesh, leaving the skin 

 alone for speculators to make mermaids with.* You will 

 see the eels by dozens hanging thick on him like the 

 sticks in a bundle of faggots ; but they are too small to 

 be taken with a salmon spear, and do not resemble the 

 fine silver eels in the Kennet and some of our English 

 streams, but are browner in colour, and have large 

 heads. The Scotch have a strong antipathy to them, 

 and never use them for food. But they should be re- 

 moved from the river if possible, as they make great 

 havoc in the spawning beds. 



This information having been briefly given, Mr. 

 Tintern went up the river with his fishing rod, as the 

 sky was not yet clear enough for the main sport : after 



* Some people will remember an exhibition of this sort many 

 years ago in St. James's Street, in London. It was very inge- 

 niously constructed, though far from alluring. It was placed under 

 a glass, and created some sensation amongst the naturalists, as 

 mermaids ought to do. 



p 3 



