OBSTRLX'TIOXS TO THE ASCEXT OF irTSH IN RIVERS. G23 



an early day as far as the falls at Ver.^eaues, alttiDacjh not ia .siioh abaud- 

 ance as in the rivers farther north, this being the most southerly river, 

 formerly inhabited by the salmon, on the lake. 



The knowledge of their once having been in the river is traditional, as 

 I know of no writers in later or earlier times who have m:ide a record of 

 the fact. What information I obtained with regard to this river was from 

 persons who had heard their grandfathers' stories about catching salmon 

 in the Otter Creek below its falls. The present condition of the river offers 

 no very promising inducements for l)eginning the experiment of restock- 

 ing the same with salmon ; yet, with a suitable fish-way over the falls, 

 favorable results might follow tiie experiment, as the character of the 

 water is such as to warrant a belief that much might be aGCom[)lishedin 

 this direction. From this point of observation, I journeyed northward to 

 the Boquet River, which empties into the lake nearly opposite the city of 

 Burlington, Yt. This river rises in the Adirondack Mountains of Xew 

 York, in the famous John Brown tract. It flows northeasterly, through 

 a mountainous region, until it reaches Yv'illsborough, where is situated 

 a high natural fall. From this point three miles from the lake, the river 

 is navigable for the largest vessels, and it is said that in former times 

 it was largely inhabited by the salmon.* 



There is a small stream emptying into the river at Willsborough, called 

 ^Yillsborough Brook, rising in the north part of the township, in Rat- 

 tlesnake Pond, which wonld doubtless be a good stream for the introduc 

 tion of salmon. 



It is doubtful whether the salmon, in an early day, ever got up the 

 main river beyond the falls at Willsborough; but, that they found their 

 spawning-beds and special haunts below the falls in small brooks, 

 coves, and inlets, which are very numerous, we have sufficient evidence 

 to believe. It is told, however, that salmon formerly ascended the falls, 

 and got a long distance up the river into the interior. If it were not 

 for the dams and falls, which are quite numerous, the river might be 

 restocked with the salmon. This difficulty could be easily overcome in 

 the erection of suitable fish -ways. 



The next place visited was the Wiuooski River in Yirmont, which 

 empties into the lake at about 44^ 30' north latitude. The Winooski (for- 

 merly Onion River) was once a fine salmon-stream, and has its source far 

 back in the mountains of the State. About five miles from its mouth is 

 situated a natural fall, over which the salmon formerly passed, and took 

 a long journey into the interior. It is said that in an early day salmon 

 were caught in large quantities at the foot of these falls : and that for 

 days and weeks together they would be found in great abundance at 

 this point, and at night scale the heights. 



The Winooski is fed by numerous small brooks and rivulets, which 

 afibrd nice fields for the growth of this delicious fish. But for this nat- 

 ural fall, which is now surmounted by a high dam, the stream might 



" See Watsou's History of Essex Couuty, Xew York. Albany, 18G9. pp. S.'il, 3.')2. 



