14 ORIGIN OF THE SILVER EEL. 



father's farm. In a low-lying haugh by 

 the side of the stream there was a drain, 

 required to take away the water from a 

 spring that was in it. The drain was 30 

 yards long. The man that made it, not being 

 very well acquainted with levels, made it 

 deepest next the spring, and consequently 

 water to the depth of three inches stood at 

 the upper end for a distance of three yards. 

 It was opened in the first week in April, 

 and stood open till the first week in May, 

 1803. During this period, one Saturday 

 afternoon, I went to this spot with my 

 father's herd boy and his cows. It was 

 called the lady's haugh. My attention 

 was attracted to the open drain, and looking 

 at the water standing round the mouth of 

 the spring, I observed a great number of 

 hair eels swimming about, and asked my 

 companion to assist me in counting them. 

 They numbered thirteen. I put the question 

 to him, " What can they come from ?" He 

 replied, " They fall from the tails of the 

 horses while drinking, and the water brings 

 them to life." My companion was thirteen 

 years old, and I was ten. Young as I was, 



