18 



perceive that he also exudes a whitish milky substance, 

 (the milt) which falling on the spawn, impregnates them, 

 and gives them life. Now cover them up, there let them 

 remain till time vivifies them, and they become fish. 



Now for the first time perhaps, are these poor men 

 struck with ther own- folly, and that of others — then comes 

 the admission. We have destroyed our fisheries, and 

 brought ruin on ourselves. We have caught the fish at 

 all times spawning, or not spawning. What shall we do ? 

 — "conservez les pecheries." Yes my good friends, if you 

 would preserve yourselves, you must preserve your means 

 of support, your fisheries. 



Now comes reaction, reason take her place, — preserve the 

 spawn, and we shall have fish in abundance ! Here are their 

 spawning beds ! aye, but heavy currents may wash away 

 the spawn. Let us make artificial beds, and enclose the fish 

 now they are about to spawn. Haste thee away Gehin, 

 bring the nets and tubs, 'tis done ! and e'er night fall, they 

 become possessors of thousands of impregnated spawn, hav' 

 ing enclosed the fish, and with the hollow of the hand, form- 

 ed by the thumb and forefinger, gently compressed the ova 

 and the milt from the fish. The ova and the milt, secured in 

 tubs and gently stirred by the hand mix together, the 

 spawn becomes vivified, and before night these poor men 

 have placed their prize in an enclosed gravelly pond with s 

 running current. Oh! can it be possible thatweshall succeed! 

 argued these poor men : the scene of their labour is visited 

 daily : week after week, month after month passes, but they 

 do not despair. Suspense is about to be terminated. Remy ! 

 Kemy ! regardez-donc 1 regardez ! The fish are come to life, 

 cries the astonished Gehin, run ! run ! They approach the 



