282 How to obtain it. 



king of fishes, and would have tried very many more but for the 

 way in which he is hedged about, in such a manner that some of 

 his best friends are unable to help him. 



We have done so much to injure both the salmon and his 

 hunting ground that it is surely time we did something to make 

 amends for past grievances, and to show our appreciation of the 

 gallant efforts which he has made to hold his own in many of our 

 rivers. We have emptied the rivers during many months of the 

 year by draining the hills ; we have rendered the water distasteful 

 to him by polluting it. We have altered the temperature of the 

 estuary by changing its nature ; we have left him in pools to be 

 destroyed by poachers, instead of giving him a friendly lift up or 

 down, as he may require. We have done many other untoward 

 acts, and it is about time that we sought to remedy some, at least, 

 of the evils of the past. 



The water question is by no means such a difficult one as 

 may at first sight appear. The advantages which may be made to 

 accrue by letting off compensation water from reservoirs made on 

 some of the upper tributaries of a river are too great to pass lightly 

 by. This question of water storage* is indeed one of the greatest 

 importance, and entitled to the fullest consideration. The 

 immense benefit arising from it does not need pointing out. To 

 be able to make an artificial spate just at the right time is a power 

 which might be exercised on a salmon river most beneficially ; 

 indeed the effect is at present almost beyond calculation. 



On one river which I was called in to inspect, I saw a pool 

 from which sixty salmon had been stolen in one night but a short 

 time before. An artificial spate of a few hours' duration would 

 have helped these fish over the barrier which obstructed them. 

 The loss to the river it is difficult to estimate. The intrinsic value 

 of the sixty fish might perhaps be represented by as many pounds 

 sterling, which alone would have paid a watcher a year's wages ; 

 but when we consider that these were spawning fish, and that their 

 eggs and future offspring were lost to that stream absolutely, we 

 begin to realise, after some reflection, that the loss was very 

 serious. It might easily have been prevented. This is but one 

 out of many cases that have come under my notice in one way or 

 other. 



