CHAPTER XV 

 FISH-EATING MANKIND 



THOSE mysteriously civilised prehistoric lake- 

 dwellers of Switzerland were ichthyophagi as 

 well as grain-eaters, for amongst the implements 

 of bone, flint, and bronze, discovered around their 

 pile-supported houses, were barbed fish-hooks 

 identical with our own, and trident-like fish-grains, 

 fish-spears, and boat-hooks which might have 

 come from some Wapping ship-chandler's shop ; 

 also though it is not a propos of my subject 

 fibulae, or dress-fasteners, beautifully made on the 

 principle of modern safety-pins. 



In equally mysterious ancient Egypt there was 

 a perennial source of fish supply almost at the 

 door of every town and city, and the children of 

 Israel, wandering in the desert, thought with 

 regretful longing of the succulent flesh-pots of 

 their house of bondage the fish they "did eat 



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