Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-02-22
FACTS ABOUT EElS.
How the Slippery Customers We're Guilt
waited by the Romans.

How the Slippery Customers We're Guilt
waited by the Romans.
Ever since the time of the cruel Ro-
man Emperor who fattened the cells in
his tanks upon the bodies of his slaves,
some people have had a prejudice
against those fish, calling them snakes
in disguise. Bnt cells are true fish, and
breathe by gills: but the openings
leading to the gills are very different
in different species, and would take too
much space to describe here They
have scales, too; but these are very
minute, and only discoverable when
the skin is dried.
Excellent and nutritious when they
have clean food, it must be confessed
that cells are unclean feeders if they
have the chance, and those caught
about the city wharves are the worst
Pliny gives most curious details in
regard to the artificial ponds in which
the ancient Romans kept the lamprey
cells of which they were SO fond. Luz
cullus had pond containing 50 many
that at his death the fish sold for what
would be equivalent to $780, 900 of our
money. Favorite lampreys were kept
as pets, coming at call to be fed, and
adorned with jewelled rings
In the Middle Ages and afterward
these cells were kept in ponds and tanks
by the monks and nobles and used at
great feasts curiously stewed with all
sorts Of condiments. Henry L of En-
gland died of a surfeit of eels the meat
being very rich and difficult of digestion
for many people.
Of all the cells. the sea con9er is the
largest and most formidable, except,
perhaps. the great sea eel of the East
Indies Our conger is often five or six
feet long and as thick us mans leg.
Such an eel as that creates a great
commotion when hauled into a fishing
skiff where there is not much room.
Eels command d high price in most
markets, and. consequently, are caught
by variety of methods. Bobbing is
done at night, when cells are most
active. and is effected by stringing
worms, by means of needle and
thread, so as to make great loops or
punches, at the end of pole or line.
The cells attack the worms, and their
teeth becoming entangled in the thread,
they are jerked into boat before they
can get away.
Eel pots are used extensively. Usual
ly barrel is taken, baited with fish
heads or other offal, and sunk by
weight of stones. In the head is hole
and a cone Of oslers, or even Il yarn
stocking with the foot cut off and nailed
to the entrance by the upper part The
greedy cells go in and then can not get
out. Hundreds are often caught in one
pot in single night.
Eels are speared, especially on the
mud flats of the New Jersey and Long
Island coasts, by day and by night. In
autumn, when the cells 90 into the mud,
the fisherman wades along at low tide
and when he sees IA little breathing
tined spear and generally draws forth
his wriggling prey. In summer they
90 over the same flats at night, with
torch over the bow of skiff, and spear
the cells on the bottom. These seem to
be attracted and confused by the light.
A number of boats thus employed
form a very strange and pretty sight
on summer night
The gill-net fsherermen for shad
hate the cells. The fish are often for
two or three hours in the net. and dur
ing this interval the cells attack them,
and are often hauled into the boat with
the shad.
Few people fishing with the line for
amusement care to catch cells. as they
almost always swallow the hook and
bait, tangle the line. and cover every
thing with their slime. Golden DAYS.