THE PIKE, &C. 



117 



drowned, but by the aid of an attendant, the mule succeeded 

 in getting his head above water, and brought the pike on 

 shore, still clinging to his mouth. They have also been 

 known to devour young goslings, rats, and mice, and when 

 placed in ponds with other fish, have sometimes devoured 

 them all. 



Smith relates the following story, which serves to show 

 the "ruling passion strong in death:" " A gentleman was 

 once angling for pike, and succeeded in taking a very large 

 one, at which time he was encountered by a shepherd and 

 his dog. He made the man a present of his fish, and while 

 engaged in clearing his tackle, he saw the dog, who had for 

 some time been expressing his satisfaction by the most une- 

 quivocal signs, seat himself unsuspectingly, with his tail at a 

 tempting proximity to the jaws of the pike, which suddenly 

 caught at it. It would be impossible to express the terror of 

 the dog, on finding such an appendage entailed upon him ; 

 he ran in every direction to free himself, but in vain, and at 

 last plunged into the stream as a last resource but this was 

 equally fruitless. The hair had become so entangled in the 

 fish's teeth, that it could not release its hold ; accordingly, he 

 struggled over to the opposite side, now above and now be- 

 low the surface. Having lauded, the dog made for his mas- 

 ter's cottage with all haste, where he was at length freed 

 from his unwilling persecutor ; yet, notwithstanding the fa- 

 tigue the latter had endured, he actually seized and sunk his 

 teeth into a stick which was used to force open his jaws." 



They are known to live to a very great age. A Russian 

 with an unpronounceable name,* makes mention of a pike 

 that lived to the age of ninety years ; and GP sner says, one 

 was taken in a lake in Suabia, Germany, in 1479, havin< 



* As some of our readers may want our authority, and may be willing 

 to run the risk of breaking their jaws, we give the name, RZACZNSHI. 



