登陆注册
5541400000035

第35章

The fourth day - continued The Salmon Piscator The Salmon is accounted the King of freshwater fish; and is ever bred in rivers relating to the sea, yet so high.or far from it, as admits of no tincture of salt, or brackishness.He is said to breed or cast his spawn, in most rivers, in the month of August: some say, that then they dig a hole or grave in a safe place in the gravel, and there place their eggs or spawn, after the melter has done his natural office, and then hide it most cunningly, and cover it over with gravel and stones; and then leave it to their Creator's protection, who, by a gentle heat which he infuses into that cold element, makes it brood, and beget life in the spawn, and to become Samlets early in the spring next following.

The Salmons having spent their appointed time, and done this natural duty in the fresh waters, they then haste to the sea before winter, both the melter and spawner; but if they be stops by flood-gates or weirs, or lost in the fresh waters, then those so left behind by degrees grow sick and lean, and unseasonable, and kipper, that is to say, have bony gristles grow out of their lower chaps, not unlike a hawk's beak, which hinders their feeding; and, in time, such fish so left behind pine away and die.'Tis observed, that he may live thus one year from the sea; but he then grows insipid and tasteless, and loses both his blood and strength, and pines and dies the second year.And 'tis noted, that those little Salmons called Skeggers, which abound in many rivers relating to the sea, are bred by such sick Salmons that might not go to the sea, and that though they abound, yet they never thrive to any considerable bigness.

But if the old Salmon gets to the sea, then that gristle which shews him to be kipper, wears away, or is cast off, as the eagle is said to cast his bill, and he recovers his strength, and comes next summer to the same river, if it be possible, to enjoy the former pleasures that there possess him; for, as one has wittily observed, he has, like some persons of honour and riches which have both their winter and summer houses, the fresh rivers for summer, and the salt water for winter, to spend his life in; which is not, as Sir Francis Bacon hath observed in his History of Life and Death, above ten years.And it is to be observed, that though the Salmon does grow big in the sea, yet he grows not fat but in fresh rivers; and it is observed, that the farther they get from the sea, they be both the fatter and better.

Next, I shall tell you, that though they make very hard shift to get out of the fresh rivers into the sea yet they will make harder shift to get out of the salt into the fresh rivers, to spawn, or possess the pleasures that they have formerly found in them: to which end, they will force themselves through floodgates, or over weirs, or hedges, or stops in the water, even to a height beyond common belief.Gesner speaks of such places as are known to be above eight feet high above water.And our Camden mentions, in his Britannia, the like wonder to be in Pembrokeshire, where the river Tivy falls into the sea; and that the fall is so downright, and so high, that the people stand and wonder at the strength and sleight by which they see the Salmon use to get out of the sea into the said river; and the manner and height of the place is so notable, that it is known, far, by the name of the Salmon-leap.Concerning which, take this also out of Michael Drayton, my honest old friend; as he tells it you, in his Polyolbion:

And when the Salmon seeks a fresher stream to find;(Which hither from the sea comes, yearly, by his kind,)As he towards season grows; and stems the watry tract Where Tivy, falling down, makes an high cataract, Forc'd by the rising rocks that there her course oppose, As tho' within her bounds they meant her to inclose;Here when the l abouring fish does at the foot arrive, And finds that by his strength he does but vainly strive;His tail takes in his mouth, and, bending like a bow That's to full compass drawn, aloft himself doth throw, Then springing at his height, as doth a little wand That bended end to end, and started from man's hand, Far off itself doth cast, so does that Salmon vault;And if, at first, he fail, his second summersault He instantly essays, and, from his nimble ring Still yerking, never leaves until himself he fling Above the opposing stream.

This Michael Drayton tells you, of this leap or summersault of the Salmon.

And, next, I shall tell you, that it is observed by Gesner and others, that there is no better Salmon than in England; and that though some of our northern counties have as fat, and as large, as the river Thames, yet none are of so excellent a taste.

And as I have told you that Sir Francis Bacon observes, the age of a Salmon exceeds not ten years; so let me next tell you, that his growth is very sudden: it is said that after he is got into the sea, he becomes, from a Samlet not so big as a Gudgeon, to be a Salmon, in as short a time as a gosling becomes to be a goose.Much of this has been observed, by tying a riband, or some known tape or thread, in the tail of some young Salmons which have been taken in weirs as they have swimmed towards the salt water; and then by taking a part of them again, with the known mark, at the same place, at their return from the sea, which is usually about six months after; and the like experiment hath been tried upon young swallows, who have, after six months' absence, been observed to return to the same chimney, there to make their nests and habitations for the summer following; which has inclined many to think, that every Salmon usually returns to the same river in which it was bred, as young pigeons taken out of the same dovecote have also been observed to do.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 空中历险故事(感动青少年的惊险历险故事)

    空中历险故事(感动青少年的惊险历险故事)

    我们编辑的这套《感动青少年的惊险历险故事》,共有10本,包括《荒岛历险故事》、《海上历险故事》、《沙漠历险故事》、《森林历险故事》、《古堡历险故事》、《登山历险故事》、《空中历险故事》、《野外历险故事》、《探险历险故事》和《恐怖历险故事》。这些作品汇集了古今中外著名的惊险、历险故事近百篇,其故事情节惊险曲折,引人入胜,阅读这些故事,不仅可以启迪智慧、增强思维,还可以了解社会、增长知识。
  • 舍身崖

    舍身崖

    《舍身崖》是一部10部短篇小说的汇编集。小说题材广泛,既有作者对童年轶事的描写,也有对农村风土人情的介绍;既有借古人轶事来达到教育今人的良好愿望,也有对现实社会好人好事的歌颂,文字虽朴实却另有新意。
  • 屋顶上的泥脚印

    屋顶上的泥脚印

    近半个月来,只要唐咪一个人,她就感到周围总有一双鬼鬼祟祟的眼睛盯着自己。有时候,她依稀都能听到尾随她的脚步声了,甚至一种粗重的呼吸声都能听到。可回头,却什么也没有。这到底是怎么回事?唐咪自己也说不清,唐咪只是一天比一天害怕。可以确信,这一切,都与她在新森林里射杀了那只猴面鹰有关!新森林名字虽叫新森林,却是地地道道的原始森林。在好友上上的再三唆使下,那天下午,她俩驾车来到了新森林。唐咪是省射箭队的教练,这次出游,她没忘带上自己挚爱的弓和箭。
  • 将名字写于水上

    将名字写于水上

    《将名字写于水上》是梁女士的一部修心、修行之作,文笔高妙玄美,境界高深宏远,数十篇散文涵盖了作者在文学艺术、禅学哲理、历史宗教等领域中的叩求探讨,体现了作者以慈悲之心观照众生万物,以艺术创作承担苦难的理想宏愿。作者在烹花煮草、焚香饮酒的隐居生活中发现美、创造美,在远离尘嚣、回归自然中参悟佛理禅机,进而萌发在审美创作活动中的艺术渴念,即追求终极与永恒。作者看透红尘浮华、人世聚散、功名痴恋,堪破死生,在宗教层面探求生命的自我超越与救赎。
  • 公主小妹

    公主小妹

    史上最衰的“穿越”诞生了!各位要穿越的亲,要谨慎!!!!元气小民女林若璇,在经历了灵异的车祸事件之后,发现自己竟变成了200斤的“花痴公主”萧咪咪!这个公主不仅超重超多金,而且凡是帅哥就扑倒…所以,商界四大家族的“王子”总像盯肥肉一样盯着她…
  • 塔木德密码:犹太人的传世智慧

    塔木德密码:犹太人的传世智慧

    犹太人是举世公认的智慧民族,他们几千年来亡国不亡种的坎坷际遇,以及那惊人的理财能力令全世界都为之叹服。为什么摩根、洛克菲勒、格林斯潘这样的商界巨贾和爱因斯坦等这样的思想巨擘都出身犹太入?漫长的流亡史中,犹太人究竟积累了怎样的不为人知的智慧?这本《塔木德密码:犹太人的传世智慧》将为你一一解答。
  • 平蛮录

    平蛮录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 天乐鸣空集

    天乐鸣空集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 全能影后撩夫记

    全能影后撩夫记

    通过参加一个综艺节目,小明星简单认识了部队里的大魔王林皓宇,通过一个月时间的相处,林皓宇也认识了这个和观众口中不太一样的小明星。她单纯可爱不做作,他阳刚帅气有担当。她在闹他在笑。且看“不简单”的简单小姐,怎么拿下军哥哥,夺下影后桂冠。
  • 最强神阶武魂

    最强神阶武魂

    叶峰意外穿越到一个陌生武道世界,天隆世界。没想到自己研发的无敌系统一同穿越,并且成为现实版。从此叶峰开辟绝世神阶武魂,一路横扫,傲战无敌。拳打天隆王尊,脚踏神魔仙皇!仙丹、遗迹、神通、法宝,系统在手,统统我有!