56 TROUT FISHING 



found in territories that are already within 

 the Empire. Men of science tell of an 

 experiraent for which all that is necessary 

 are a tub, a glass with water in it, a few 

 pounds of snow, and a handful of salt. 

 You mix the snow and the salt in the 

 tub ; and they make a thick, briny slush, 

 the temperature of which is much below 

 the point at which water freezes. Then 

 you place the glass in the tub, leaving 

 the rim above the surface of the brine. 

 If the water becomes motionless, it will 

 remain fluid ; but in a quarter of an 

 hour, by which time the cold slush has 

 done its work, shake the glass gently, and 

 the water it contains will freeze. 



I myself have not been able to succeed 

 with this experiment ; but I have twice 

 been a witness of Nature doing strange 

 things with similar materials. 



The first occasion was in Fife on a 

 winter morning. The frost during the 

 night had been intense. On getting up 

 and moving about my room, I heard an 

 unfamiliar sound issuing from the earthen- 



