SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


               Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

                                October 17, 1998


                              COLONIAL GAS COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



    Massachusetts              0-10007              04-1558100
(State or other           (Commission File        (IRS Employer
 jurisdiction of               Number)            Identification No.)
  incorporation)  


              40 Market Street, Lowell, Massachusetts 01852  
            (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)


              Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
                                (978) 322-3000



<PAGE>



Item 5.    Other Events.

      On October 17,  1998,  Colonial Gas Company  (the  "Company")  and Eastern
Enterprises,  a Massachusetts business trust, entered into an Agreement and Plan
of  Reorganization  (the "Merger  Agreement").  The Merger Agreement and a press
release relating thereto are attached hereto as exhibits.

Item 7.    Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

      (c)  Exhibits

           2.1  Agreement  and Plan of  Reorganization  by and  between  Eastern
                Enterprises  and  Colonial  Gas Company  dated as of October 17,
                1998.

           99.1 Press Release issued by the Company on October 19, 1998.



                                   SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

October 21, 1998                         COLONIAL GAS COMPANY



                                    By: /s/ Frederic L. Putnam, III 

                                        Frederic L. Putnam, III
                                        President and Chief Executive Officer



<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


2.1   Agreement and Plan of  Reorganization  by and between Eastern  Enterprises
      and Colonial Gas Company dated as of October 17, 1998.

99.1 Press Release issued by the Company on October 19, 1998.
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION", "secsgml_size_bytes": 2497}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "COLONIAL GAS CO", "cik": "0000060653", "assigned-sic": "4924", "irs-number": "041558100", "state-of-incorporation": "MA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-13351", "film-number": "98728519"}, "business-address": {"street1": "40 MARKET ST", "city": "LOWELL", "state": "MA", "zip": "01852", "phone": "5084583171"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "LOWELL GAS CO", "date-changed": "19811124"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

               Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

                                October 17, 1998

                              COLONIAL GAS COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

    Massachusetts              0-10007              04-1558100
(State or other           (Commission File        (IRS Employer
 jurisdiction of               Number)            Identification No.)
  incorporation)  

              40 Market Street, Lowell, Massachusetts 01852  
            (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

              Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
                                (978) 322-3000
Item 5.    Other Events.

      On October 17,  1998,  Colonial Gas Company  (the  "Company")  and Eastern
Enterprises,  a Massachusetts business trust, entered into an Agreement and Plan
of  Reorganization  (the "Merger  Agreement").  The Merger Agreement and a press
release relating thereto are attached hereto as exhibits.

Item 7.    Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

      (c)  Exhibits

           2.1  Agreement  and Plan of  Reorganization  by and  between  Eastern
                Enterprises  and  Colonial  Gas Company  dated as of October 17,
                1998.

           99.1 Press Release issued by the Company on October 19, 1998.

                                   SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

October 21, 1998                         COLONIAL GAS COMPANY

                                    By: /s/ Frederic L. Putnam, III 

                                        Frederic L. Putnam, III
                                        President and Chief Executive Officer
EXHIBIT INDEX

2.1   Agreement and Plan of  Reorganization  by and between Eastern  Enterprises
      and Colonial Gas Company dated as of October 17, 1998.

99.1 Press Release issued by the Company on October 19, 1998.