56 THE ADVENTURES 



miller, rushes out of three low vomitories to unite 

 with the parent stream below. Up these arches 

 many a salmon looks, and undeterred by the dark 

 subterranean aspect of the path, or the awful 

 hubbub and clatter of the wheels unconscious 

 of that dangerous illegal net hanging close 

 to the mill-wheel waiting to catch him as he 

 falls back after a mad impotent leap in the 

 dark abyss many a poor salmon essays that 

 Styx-like passage, and some they even say 

 successfully." 



But our friend essays it not. He is about to 

 quit his resting place and betake himself to the 

 safer stream which flows unimpeded through the 

 centre arch of the bridge. And fortunately for 

 him there is plenty of water in the river ; for here 

 he comes, steadily and boldly up the centre of 

 the stream: he has passed the bridge; and now he 

 is trespassing on private property ! 



He knows it not he is quite ignorant that by 

 going into that pool he has given himself avvay ! 

 disposed of all right and title to his own fish 

 and blood forfeited his freedom, and belongs 

 absolutely, body and roe, to Mr. Topham, his 

 heirs or assigns ! and that if any other man 

 presume to take him out of that pool, the only 

 food he would afford, would be food for the 

 lawyers. 



