“ SUN-SPEARING.” 135 
Mr. Carlyle’s Pythons, though not exactly of the same 
mud species in which that distinguished but rather 
eccentric writer delights. It lies stretched at full 
length on the bottom, some dozen of yards in advance 
of Dingey ; and perfectly composed apparently as 
if Dr. Simpson had just applied the cambric and the 
chloroform to its nose. Now, then, by the lightest 
and gentlest touches of the spear on the water, lead 
up Dingey till its stern stands in a perpendicular 
line with the eel below. All this, remember, must 
be done as gently and with as little effort as a swan 
oars himself about on Thames or Trent. But before 
giving instructions for the stroke, it may be necessary 
to remind the tyro that there are such things as 
“laws of refraction;” and that the eel does not 
exactly occupy the spot which our eye takes it for 
granted it does. For the same reason, the spear- 
handle, when let into the water, seems bent or out of 
line. But I should hope the youthful pupil has got 
up these little matters sufficiently well for his 
“Civil Service Examinations” to save me the trouble 
of further boring“ him on the subject, or airing 
my optics. Making, therefore, the necessary allow- 
ance for distance and refraction, let down the spear 
gently but rapidly—non vi sed arte—to within three 
or four feet of the prey—he will not stir a peg—and 
then, invoking St. George and the Dragon, strike 
home like a Briton! A peculiar convulsive shock, 
