32 



About the year 1863 I had a similar experience on 

 the Rondout stream, A severe and sudden storm had 

 raised the stream, and it was four or five days before 

 the stream was fit to wade. 



These are isolated cases, but they are in line with 

 my constant experience between thirty and forty years 

 aeo. It was not low water then, but hiofh water which 

 was most feared' by anglers. 



On returning- home from these trips, when we had 

 been visited by these severe storms, it was found that 

 they had not extended to any great extent either to 

 the east or west of this mountain region, but seemed 

 to be almost entirely local. 



These storms were almost invariably followed by 

 strong westerly winds which usually continued for two 

 or three clays. 



All this is entirely changed. The storms which 

 prevailed so frequently thirty or forty years ago seldom 

 occur any more, and when they do the streams run 

 down almost as rapidly as they rise. In 1891 I was on 

 the Rondout Stream when I found that it was nearly 

 bank full in the morning from the effects of a storm 

 which had prevailed during the previous night and 

 which was followed in the morning by the usual wester- 

 ly wind. The stream ran down so rapidly that in the 

 afternoon I found it possible to wade it, and in the 

 afternoon of the next day it was too low for good 

 fishing. 



I have had the same experience in the Beaverkill, 

 and have found within the last few years that not later 

 than the second day after a storm it was in good con- 

 dition for fishing, and on the third day too low for any 

 satisfactory sport. 



For the purpose of ascertaining whether the rapid 

 depletion of the water in these streams commenced at 



