60 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SALMON. 



go up the river without either being taken, or stopt. 

 The consequence of this was, that all the fisheries 

 in the river were ruined, and his own among the 

 number. This hutch being placed in the full stream, 

 impeded the course of the water so much, that it 

 broke out a new channel by the side. Thus the 

 object of the hutch was defeated ; and falling into 

 decay, it was never after repaired, but in process of 

 time, went entirely to pieces. The foundation of 

 it was visible a few years since. In the course of 

 two or three years after, the river had found a new 

 channel, and this hutch, which has ever since, and 

 to the present day, gone by the name of Seymour's 

 Hutch, was destroyed, and salmon became as 

 plentiful as ever, resuming its ordinary price of 

 two-pence and three-halfpence per pound. During 

 the existence of Seymour's Hutch, such was the 

 scarcity of salmon, that it sold for two shillings and 

 sixpence per pound ; and I have heard an old man, 

 who lately died at the age of ninety, positively de- 

 clare, that he himself sold a salmon for as much 

 money as enabled him to purchase, and that he ac- 

 tually did with the money buy, a cow and calf. I 

 have no reason to doubt the truth of it; nor is it at 

 all improbable. The old man used to mention the cir- 

 cumstance as a sort of wonder, that he should have 

 bought a cow and calf with a salmon ; and he 

 would then explain the fact, thus : Suppose the fish 

 to be only thirty pounds, (but it might be forty or 

 fifty,) at two shillings and sixpence, its value would 

 be three pounds fifteen shillings. This sum would, 



