14 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



were dispersed : the gulls sought worms in the 

 ploughed-up lands; the kingfisher and the 

 solitary heron flew away to the smaller streams, 

 where the less turbid water permitted them to 

 see their prey, The cold, slimy, cruel eel, alone 

 of all our enemies, was then to be dreaded. 

 Crawling along at the bottom of the water, his 

 flat wicked head pressed against the gravel, so 

 as to escape the force of the stream, the wily 

 beast would insinuate himself into every crevice 

 or corner where a small fish might have taken 

 shelter, or a drowned worm be lodged, and all 

 and either was prey to him. But, as I said, 

 these perils passed lightly over, and were for- 

 gotten as soon as passed ; ' we had health and 

 we had hope, 5 and, so that the day passed 

 pleasantly away, we had little care or thought 

 for the morrow. 



" A change was, however, to be wrought 

 upon us. I had long observed in my com- 

 panions, and could not but be conscious within 

 myself, of a striking and beautiful alteration in 

 our external appearance. Without losing the 

 dark blue stripes, the distinctive marks of the 

 salmon tribe, they became gradually coated 

 over, as it were, with bright and silvery scales, 



