ATKINS THE SALMON AND ITS ARTIFICIAL CULTURE. 291 



fisheries for New Brunswick aud Nova Scotia,* although I have not 

 succeeded in obtaining direct testimony to the fact. 



Aroostoolc River. — The ascent of salmon is seriously impeded by a natu- 

 ral fall, known as "Aroostook Falls," about four miles above the junction 

 of the river with the Saint John, and just within the borders of New 

 Brunswick. So great is the difficulty of ascent that in Perley's report 

 on the fisheries of New Brunswick in 1851 it was stated that no salmon 

 ever passed it. It appears that he was by no means correct, although 

 it may readily be believed that a small proportion of the salmon that 

 come to this fall succeed in surmounting it. The banks of the river 

 here approach each other and form a narrow goroe ; down this the 

 water rushes swiftly for three-quarters of a mile, and at last makes a 

 perpendicular plunge of fifteen feet, into a broad smooth basiu on a 

 level with the Saint John. In this basiu the salmon naturally accumu- 

 late while hesitating to attempt the fall, and many are there speared 

 by torchlight. Near the most difficult part of the fall is a little pool 

 of still water into which salmon frequently drop exhausted, and stay a 

 short time to rest. At favorable stages of the water it is said that 

 more salmon are caught in this little pool than in all the rest of the 

 river.t 



Above Aroostook Falls, the river is smooth and gentle for many 

 miles, and the facilities for taking salmon are consequently poor. A 

 few are, however, caught with nets and spears all along. The number 

 of nets is very small, nearly all the. fishing being done with spears. 

 There are no artificial obstructions on the main river, and salmon can 

 run quite to its headwaters. They have been caught a hundred miles 

 above its mouth. Their favorite stream in old times was the Big Machias. 

 A dam built near its mouth about thirty years ago shut the salmon out 

 almost completely, but occasionally one leai^s the dam. From the 

 tributaries below this i)oint they are likewise shut out by dams. In 

 Presque Isle Stream and Salmon Brook they were formerly abundant. 



The data at my command do not furnish a sufficient basis for an 

 estimate of the number of salmon caught on the Aroostook. One cor- 

 respondent estimates that in 1873, which was the best year for a long- 

 time, 125 were caught within two miles of Caribou. Another says that 

 in the vicinity of Salmon Brook and Machias 200 were speared the^ 

 same season ; and that one net just above Fort Fairfield took eleven in 

 one night. Three years ago the fishing is thought to have been at its 

 lowest ebb. 



The average weight of the salmon caught in the Aroostook is estimated 

 by one correspondent to be ten pounds ; by another twelve pounds. 

 Srilse are occasionally seen, but not often. They are caught in August. 

 The first run of adult salmon reaches Caribou and Castle Hill about 

 the first of July; their appearance at Aroostook falls is said to be from 



* Annual Rept. (Canadian) Dept. Marine and Fisheries for 1869, p. 79. 

 + Letter of F. M. Everleth. 



