THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 31 



ing by the rivers of Babylon, sat down upon these banks 

 bemoaning the ruins of Sion, and contemplating their own 

 sad condition. 



And an ingenious Spaniard says, that "rivers and the 

 inhabitants of the watery element were made for wise men 

 to contemplate and fools to pass by without consideration." 

 And though I will not rank myself in the number of the first, 

 yet give me leave to free myself from the last, by offering to 

 you a short contemplation, first of rivers and then of fish ; 

 concerning which I doubt not but to give you many observa- 

 tions that will appear very considerable : I am sure they have 

 appeared so to me, and made many an hour to pass away 

 more pleasantly, as I have sat quietly on a flowery bank by a 

 calm river, and contemplated what I shall now relate to you. 



And first, concerning rivers : there be so many wonders 

 reported and written of them, and of the several creatures 

 that be bred and live in them ; and those by authors of so 

 good credit, that we need not to deny them an historical 

 laith. 



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 death. The river Selarus in a few hours 

 turns a rod or wand to stone; and ourCamden mentions the 

 like in England, 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 colour. 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, 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 Josephus, that learned Jew, tells us of a river in Judea 

 that runs swiftly all the six days of the week, and stands 

 still and rests all their sabbath. 



