Our viands

Tradition asserts that this fish was introduced into Britain by the Romans. It is, however, very scarce, and, being too delicate for transport, is only eaten in perfection near the lakes in which it is found, although it is sometimes to be FISH 137 bought potted. Let me advise all who may visit Winder- mere to taste this very delicious fish. There is a species of trout much esteemed, and which probably resembles the char, found in the lakes of the Tyrol. Travelling in this region, en route to Ober-Ammergau, and arriving at a little village inn about the time of mittag's essen (i.e., dinner at 12.30 P.M.), we ordered a dish of these trout (forelleri), which we saw others eating, and a dish of cutlets ; but it happened to be a fast-day, and mine host was a good Catholic, so, although there was a dispensation for travellers to Ober-Ammergau, we were told we might have either fish or flesh, but not both, a difficulty which was overcome by ordering fish for half our party and cutlets for the others, and then dividing the spoils. One of the most picturesque sights I remember to have seen was that of a Tyrolese peasant spearing fish on a very lonely lake among the Dolomite Mountains. He stood in a very small boat, holding aloft a trident, which he darted into the fish, and, drawing it out of the water still writhing on the trident, offered it to us for a small coin. Some of my readers who have, like myself, long passed the season of youth, will remember how, in our juvenile days, the more sophisticated of our fellows used to try to puzzle our infantine intellect by a jangling rhyme having the semblance of Latin, which ran thus :— Infirtaris inoaknonis, Inmudeelsare inclaynoneis ; and in this way we learnt two very useful scraps of know- ledge, viz., that tar was obtained from fir trees and not from oaks, and that eels might be found in mud, but not in clay. But there are eels and eels, and the great conger, the head 138 OUR VIANDS of the clan, instead of hiding himself timidly in a mud bank, swims boldly about in the ocean, and lays him down to rest fearlessly on a rocky shelf, in sight of other fishes, most of which are too weak to attack him and drive him from his chosen resting-place. It is only of late years that the conger has found a place among edible fishes in England, although credited with forming the chief ingredient in turtle soup; but on the Continent it has long been valued, especially for imparting richness to soups and gravies. There is, however, a soup^on of danger in the delicacy, for our medical works recognise a special poison appertaining to the conger, which sometimes produces a disease resembling cholera, although it may usually be eaten with impunity. This applies also to other fish, and may probably be referred to unwholesome food on the part of the fish, which is certainly the case with oysters living near the mouths of rivers, the waters of which are contaminated with lead or other minerals. But in South Africa the eating of a dried fish known as snoek produces a curious effect, causing the face to swell as though there existed an epidemic of mumps. This, it is believed, is due to the fish having been hung up to dry in the moonlight. Men of science are slow to believe in lunar influence, but in this case it appears to be a well- known fact which seems deserving of investigation.