THE TEANSPOET OF FEY AND FISH. 107 



■were infinite ; but the worst accident liappened at 

 Boulogne, where the stupid railway porter hoisted 

 upon his back the solitary barrel which contained 

 the survivors, just as if it had been a bale of goods, 

 and finding the water running over his head and 

 down his neck, flung it down, scattering fish and 

 water all about the station. Happily, they were 

 almost all recovered without damage, and that they 

 should have survived such a mishap is certainly a re- 

 markable proof of their hardiness and tenacity of life. 



" On arriving at Folkestone, there were fourteen 

 survivors of the thirty-sis which started from Kopa- 

 cheni, and I am happy to say that every one of these 

 reached Mr. Francis in the most lively and promising 

 state — somewhat thin, it is true (for they had been 

 kept upon short commons all through the journey), 

 but apparently as full of life and vivacity as such 

 little creatures could possibly be. 



"Immediately on his arrival in London, Sir Ste- 

 phen Lakeman, with most praiseworthy pubUc spirit, 

 thought more of the fish than of himself; for without 

 even driving to an hotel, he made his way to The 

 Field office ; and I need not describe with what de- 

 light he and his charge were welcomed. In a very 

 short time we were on our way to Twickenham, 

 having (as we thought) deposited the siluri safely in 



