AMAZING FEAT BY EEL

Taranaki Daily News, 13 January 1932, Page 6

AMAZING FEAT BY EEL

CARCASE DRAGGED UP STREAM.

Taranaki fresh waters have long been famous for the production of eels. in the days long before the white man came to New Zealand the Maoris gat ered huge harvests of tunas, which they sun-dried and stored for winter foodWhen marauding parties from North oi Auckland and the Waikato came on war forays they could always secure good supplies of eels from the local streams. So much were they impressed with the quantities obtainable and the large size of the eels, that m their songs of victory they gave unstinted praise to Taranaki streams. These songs are still remembered and sung at important gatherings. Eel clubs in recent years nave found eels still plentiful, and specimens up to 37jlb. in weight were secured a couple of years ago in a competition for the heaviest. ■• ; , A farmer whose ■ property m Puke* ngahu is bounded by the Patea tells of monster eels to be seen in that stream. After skinning a young calf some time ago the carcase was placed in the river. In a few minutes there were 30 or 40 eels of various sizes, all fighting for a meal of calf-meat. As the farmer watched the eels at work a huge specimen “as thick around, as the inflated tyre of a lorry-and. over six feet in length” came down stream to investigate. This eel soon scared off the others. 'Seizing the carcase of the calf the eel proceeded to remove it whole to its “holt” in a large deep pool upstream. During the journey the eel had a long rapid current to negotiate, but the ease with which it drew, the carcase against the stream proclaimed its great size, weight and strength. It is thought that if this eel could be captured it would weigh upwards of 501 b. The veracity of this story is vouched for by the farmer, who states that several were present who saw the performance from beginning to end.