244 HIGHLAND SPORT 



having entered without molestation, we broke up into small 

 parties in the lower reaches of the river, where the males 

 of our company speedily took unto themselves wives, and 

 enjoyed ourselves after the manner of our race. 



"Thus far my schemes had been highly successful, but 

 my great anxiety now was to discover when the Foe would 

 resume their persecution, for the fact of meeting fish coming 

 up out of the sea warned me it would not be long delayed. 

 As leader of the company, I had forbidden any member to 

 ascend the river higher than myself, so, on passing the word 

 round in the pool I was in, we all assembled and began to 

 drop down stream. At each pool we came to we picked up 

 others of our band, while as we swam past the netting-stations 

 we saw it was high time, for the boats with the nets were 

 being got ready ; thus, unmolested, and with every salmon 

 want satisfied, we all once more reached salt water, and in 

 this manner a yearly increasing body of fish contrive to avoid 

 the snares and allurements of the Foe. 



"It is nearly needless to state that the grilse boys and 

 girls scoffed at our theories ; go their own way they would, 

 most of them paying for their frolic with their lives. As every 

 season, however, fresh members join our company, we hope 

 thus to meet the war of extermination carried on against us 

 by the Foe. 



"Occasionally it happened that relations who had lost their 

 way from the Don, the Deveron, the Spey, the North and 

 South Esk, the Tay, and the Earn, would unexpectedly appear 

 in our midst ; from these we heard doleful tales of destruction ; 

 the netting being carried on so continuously and so easily that 

 it was nearly impossible for even a grilse to pass. 



" I now know that the short truces granted us on the 

 Sabbaths, with the longer ones allowed us late in the season, 

 are but given to prevent the extinction of our race. So strong, 

 however, is the feeling of the Foe against us, and so great 

 is his greed to eat us or sell us, that the best - disposed 



