70 THE ADVENTUKES 



insurmountable, from its height, by any save 

 large fish; even these are frequently unable to 

 get over; and an artificial run which was made 

 some years ago, was ineffective from want of 

 judgment in its construction. There is one spot 

 however, where a projecting rock collects a pool 

 of water, half way up, and thus affords a sort of 

 step in the ascent ; and it is astonishing how 

 soon, after a few trials, the sagacity of the sal- 

 mon directs them to the spot : often when it is 

 attained they have not strength to keep their 

 footing (?) there, but are washed back from 

 sheer exhaustion ; sometimes they are able to 

 maintain their hold, and pause for another 

 spring, which generally places them in safety.* 



There is now little to detain them save those 

 arts of poaching common to all parts of the 

 river ; the weir above being only five feet high, 

 is just what a moderate hurdle would be to a 

 well-bred hunter ; and the one at Llantysilio is 

 even lower than that. 



Their principal danger now, is from the nets 

 of the coracle fishers. Two or three of these 



* Plans have been made ,by Mr. Robertson the 

 engineer, to whose able assistance the Association are 

 greatly indebted, to deepen and improve this pool, which 

 will probably be carried into effect before this issues 

 from the press. 



