nd, or those of an inland stream on the
other. And by a third canal with four branches, together or
separately, they could be partially drained. Thus, the waters could
be mixed to suit any gills; and the young fish taken from the sea,
passed through a stated process of freshening; so that by the time
they graduated, the salt was well out of them, like the brains out of
some diplomaed collegians.

Fresh-water fish are only to be obtained in Mondoldo by the
artificial process above mentioned; as the streams and brooks abound
not in trout or other Waltonian prey.

Taken all floundering from the sea, Borabolla's fish, passing through
their regular training for the table, and daily tended by their
keepers, in course of time became quite tame and communicative. To
prove which, calling his Head Ranger, the king bade him administer
the customary supply of edibles.

Accordingly, mouthfuls were thrown into the ponds. Whereupon, the
fish darted in a shoal toward the margin; some leaping out of the
water in their eagerness. Crouching on the bank, the Ranger now
called several by name, patted their scales, carrying on some
heathenish nursery-talk, like St. Anthony, in ancient Coptic,
instilling virtuous principles into his finny flock on the sea shore.

But alas, for the hair-shirted old dominie's backsliding disciples.
For, of all nature's animated kingdoms, fish are the most
unchristian, inhospitable, heartless, and cold-blooded of creatures.
At least, so seem they to strangers; though at bottom, somehow, they
must be all right. And truly it is not to be wondered at, that the
very reverend Anthony strove after the conversion of fish. For, whoso
shall Christianize, and by so doing, humanize the sharks, will do a
greater good, by the saving of human life in all time to come,
than though he made catechumens of the head-hunting Dyaks of Borneo,
or the blood-bibbing Battas of Sumatra. And are these Dyaks and
Battas one whit better than tiger-sharks? Nay, are they so good? Were
a Batta your intimate friend, you would often mistake an orang-outang
for him; and have orang-outangs immortal souls? True, the Battas
believe in a hereafter; but of what sort? Full of Blue-Beards and
bloody bones. So, also, the sharks; who hold that Paradise is one
vast Pacific, ploughed by navies of mortals, whom an endless gale
forever drops into their maws.

Not wholly a surmise. For, does it not appear a little unreasonable
to imagine, that there is