200 SALMON FISHING IN THE TWEED 



fell to, blindfolded as he was, like a conscientious 

 water bailiff — if you know what that is ; nor was 

 the napkin taken from his eyes till the fins and 

 bones were removed from the room, and every 

 visible evidence of a salmon having been there had 

 completely vanished : thus he saw no illegal act 

 committed, and went to give in his annual report 

 at Cornhill with his idea of a clear conscience. 

 This was going too near the wind, or rather the 

 water ; but what would you have ? — the man was 

 literal, and a great eater of salmon from his youth. 



People who are not water bailiffs have not 

 always so delicate a conscience. Let us examine 

 the style and bearing of such marauders as have 

 fallen under our notice. 



In the first place, there is your man with a pout 

 net, which resembles a landing net, only that it is 

 very considerably larger, and is in shape only half 

 of a circle ; with this he scoops out foul salmon 

 during floods, when, from weakness, they are unable 

 to stem the current, and get close under the banks. 

 This he transacts very snugly, under pretence of 

 taking trouts ; so indeed he does, and welcome too, 

 if he would stop there ; but this he is perfectly 

 averse from. 



Next in consequence comes your Triton, who 

 walks the waters with a long implement in his 

 hands, namely a leister, alias a waster ; with this 

 weapon, "quocunque nomine gaudet," the said 

 deity, quick of eye and ready of hand, forks out the 

 poor fish that are spawning on the streams ; and 

 this in close time. Vile, vile Triton ! 



Then comes your lawless band of black fishers, 



