172 ANGLING LITERATURE OF 



it must be the devil, in the shape of a snake. Highly 

 pleased with this exploit, they hastened to the farmers 

 and made known how well they had succeeded in their 

 enterprise. 



Next morning all the neighbours round, with the 

 farmers, their servants, and the soldiers, went to see this 

 amazing creature, and to their no small astonishment, 

 found it to be a prodigious eel, which, it is supposed, not 

 finding subsistence in the river, came out (ox-like) and fed 

 on the hay. Its size was such, that the farmers ordered 

 their men to go and harness eight of their best horses, 

 in order to draw it to one of their houses, which with 

 difficulty they did. When they got it home, the soldiers 

 desired leave to roast it, there being a large kitchen with 

 two fireplaces. This request was granted; and after 

 cutting it in several pieces, fastening each piece to a young 

 elm tree, by way of spit, they put it down to roast. It 

 had not been above an hour before the fire, until there 

 was as much fat ran out of it, as filled all the tubs, kettles, 

 Sec., in the house, which put them under the necessity of 

 going out to borrow ; but at their return they found the 

 inundation of grease so prodigious, that it was running 

 out at the key-hole and crevices of the door. The Wonders 

 of Nature and Art, Berwick-on-Tweed, 1780. 



