92 AMBROSE ON FlriFlES OF ST. MARGARET'S i3AY, 



Eel, — Conger, leaves the deep water and conies about the 

 stages and along the shores in April. They are neither so 

 numerous nor so highly prized as the common tjort. They bur- 

 row in the mud, in winter, like the others. 



There is a sort of eel of very large size and great fatness — 

 not short, like the conger, but proportioned like the common 

 eel, w^hich is found in a small lake on Gravelly Island, netir 

 Aspotogan, at the western side of the mouth of this Bay. These 

 giants are occasionally to be seen I3 ing in shallow Avater. At 

 first sight they are often mistaken for large pieces ol sunken 

 wood, so still do they lie, but at the first touch ofi" they dart into 

 the dark depths of the lake. 



Mr. Richard Daubin, of Peggy's Cove, some years ago was 

 with a party of seven others, \vho were fortunate enough to see 

 two of these large eels in Gravelly Island lake. The method of 

 capture adopted was to fasten a strong codiish hook to a pole, 

 and having cautiously brought their boat as near the eel as pos- 

 sible, to let down the pole gently and gaff him. This thej' did 

 first to one the thickness of a man's thigh, but in a rnumeut he 

 broke the hook and was out of sight. However, having re- 

 adjusted the gear, they were lucky enough to gaff another about 

 the thickness of a man's arm, and after a hard tussle to get him 

 into the boat. Part of his fat and strong carcass furnished all 

 who chose to partake with a bountiful re^^ast, leaving the re- 

 mainder for another meal. 



The Rock-eel is about 9 inches long, aud is frequently seen 

 along our shores. Its name is derived from its habit of keeping 

 on rocky bottom — at least during summer. In winter it moves 

 off into deeper water, but not so far as most of the others. 

 Shell-drakes are often shot whilst fishing not tar from shore, in 

 early spring, with rock-eels in their crops. The rock-eel does 

 not seem to burrow in the mud, like the common eel, or the 

 conger, as it is never taken with the spear. 



Some twelve years ago, when mackerel were very abundant 

 along our shores, and large quantities of them w^ere caught at 

 Peggy's Cove, the water of the Cove became very offensive from 

 the immense quantity of garbage which was thrown off the 

 stages. All the rock-eels in the Cove died, aud over the whole 



