1 90 LAKES AND RIVERS, 



nated with chloride of lime, have greatly destroyed 

 them. In former times sturgeon was so exceedingly 

 plentiful in the Medway, that the duty paid upon its 

 sale to the Bishop of Rochester formed a considerable 

 part of his revenue, although he received only a third 

 share in that duty, as the King and the Archbishop 

 were also entitled to a share. Hasted tells of a stur- 

 geon taken near Maidstone, in 17 74, which weighed 

 1 60 pounds. 



Parts of the river are well stored with dace, carp, 

 tench, chub, roach, and gudgeon, particularly above 

 Maidstone. In the time of the Romans in Britain 

 salmon was plentiful in the Medway. " Once on 

 a time the Bishops of Rochester kept their pack 

 of hounds by the riverside, and the monks gathered in 

 the yearly vintage from carefully-tended grape vines in 

 the vineyards of Medway valley ; and bishops, monks, 

 and laity fasted vigorously on a plentiful supply of 

 salmon, bred and caught in Medway water ; then 

 there were no mills, no obstructions, or weirs to stop 

 the ascent of the fish." 



