118 SALMONIA. 



summer : and, between Abbotsford and 

 Melrose, I have known six or seven iish 

 taken by a single rod in the morning. In 

 the Tay, only ten years ago, at Mickleure, 

 I was myself one of two anglers who took 

 eight fine fish, — three of them large salmon, 

 — in a short morning's fishing ; but now, 

 except in spring fishing, when the fish are 

 little worth taking, there is no certainty of 

 sport in these rivers ; and one, two, or three 

 fish (which last is of rare occurrence), are 

 all even an experienced angler can hope to 

 take in a day's skilful and constant angling. 



Poiet. — You have fished in most of the 

 salmon rivers of the north of Europe, — give 

 us some idea of the kind of sport. 



Hal. — I have fished in some, but perhaps 

 not in the best; for this it is necessary to go 

 into barbarous countries — Lapland, or the 

 extreme north of Norway ; and I have gene- 

 rally loved too much the comforts of life to 

 make any greater sacrifices than such as are 

 made in this expedition. I have heard the 

 river at Drontheim boasted of as an excel- 

 lent salmon river, — and I know two worthy 



