SALMON FISHING 139 



as it had had time to bear fruit, the netsmen would catch as 

 much and even more in the five days than they now do in 

 the six. Our views have been spoken plainly, and probably 

 they are not worth much, but if we have in our love for sport 

 unwittingly trodden on anyone's toes, we humbly ask forgive- 

 ness. Every year seems to throw more light on the habits 

 of the salmon, but we are yet fully convinced our interest is 

 reciprocated, and that they know more about us than we know 

 about them, and that year by year they become more alive to 

 the flash of the rod, the shine of the gaff, and the glitter of 

 the lure. 



The end of our amusement is now at hand, and we will 

 but wish our readers more thirty-pounders and more tight 

 lines in the spring-time than have been frequent of late years ; 

 while if these pages have helped anyone to get better sport, 

 or pass away a little spare time, their object will have been 

 fully answered. 



