2o6 THE SALMON 



superior to jealousy. Possibly the contempt of the 

 President of the ' Noctes ' was provoked by the 

 chemist's narrow-minded ideas on dinners and drink. 

 Rather the drink than the dinners, for Sir Humphry 

 appreciated a noble grilse, and scientifically super- 

 vised the preparation. He gives excellent instructions 

 for crimping. After landing his fish, he directs 

 Poietes, whose wits were apt to go a-woolgathering : 

 1 Give him a transverse cut just below the gills, and 

 crimp him by cutting to the bone on each side, so as 

 almost to divide him into slices ; and now hold him 

 by the tail that he may bleed. There is a small 

 spring, I see, which I daresay has the mean tempera- 

 ture of the atmosphere in this climate, and is much 

 under 60 degrees — place him there and let him 

 remain for ten minutes, and then carry him to the 

 pot, and let the water and salt boil furiously before 

 you put in a slice, and give time to the water to 

 recover its heat before you throw in another, and so 

 on with the whole fish, and throw in che thickest pieces 

 first.' We have often practised similar methods in 

 less philosophical fashion, sending the last grilse of 

 the day up to the lodge by a swift-footed gillie to be 

 crimped in the kitchen, for a brief delay makes but 

 slight difference, and it is wise not to trench on the 

 province of the hot-tempered cook. But if Sir 



