SCHAFFHAUSEN. 223 



they turned in dozens to see the sport. They looked 

 as grimy and black as if they had just come from 

 Beelzebub's kitchen, where they fry bubble and 

 squeak for the devil's supper. I need not say that 

 such a large party of dirty black-looking fellows was 

 a nuisance, but they were very civil, very much 

 pleased, and evidently very fond of sport. So there 

 was nothing for it but to seem very much pleased 

 with their kind attentions. 



There were sundry trout also in the falls, but whilst 

 the salmon were about I did not turn my attention 

 much to them, and never killed any large ones. 



I have seen much written about the voracity of 

 trout, and there is no doubt that on certain occasions 

 their appetites are of a first-class order, for I caught 

 one of about two pounds whilst fishing at the tail 

 of a mill on the Kennett with a May-fly, or green 

 drake, which had no less than twenty-three minnows 

 in him, of which many were alive when I shook 

 them out of his mouth and throat. However, the 

 story I am about to relate is still more unbelievable, 

 but is a positive fact, and I copy it verbatim from 

 my diary whilst at Scharfhausen. 



" In the summer of 1844, whilst spinning with a 

 bleak in the falls of the Rhine at Schaffhausen, I 



