CONGER EEL FISHING AT JERSEY. 59 



large lobster, or I'm a Dutchman," and so it 

 proved ; it was a conger of eleven pounds. 



I never saw such a dab as the old fellow was 

 at this ; I could do nothing, and soon gave it 

 up, but was quite content to watch him. He 

 rarely made a mistake. To hear the lobsters 

 and congers sucking and gurgling in their holes 

 was very curious. We got that day five congers, 

 two large ones and three smaller, and nine or ten 

 very decent lobsters, a good many crabs, a large 

 basket full of limpets and black periwinkles, and 

 a dozen or so of " Ormers," a capital shell fish, 

 and when well dressed exactly like a veal cutlet, 

 only with ten times the flavour. 



I was quite delighted with this to me novel 

 style of fishing and my day's sport. It was very 

 exciting wandering over these vast masses of 

 rock, seeing no end of curious things ; and the 

 astute knowledge of these island fishermen as to 

 the habits of the conger eel, and where to find 

 him, was really astonishing. I may say that 

 during the time I was on the "Ecr&ios" hundreds 

 of congers and lobsters were caught. 



As the tide was coming up we embarked and 

 got on board the dainty little " Fearless," and 



