SALMON ANGLING IN IRELAND. 45 



Lough Gill runs through the town by a nan-owing creek, called 

 the river Garvogue ; here, an hour later, we embarked, and rowed 

 away to the broader reaches above, passing a long line of poor cabins. 

 In all old towns, poverty dwells by the water, and Sligo is quite in 

 the fashion. 



The drought which distinguished the present season began now to 

 make its effects felt, in the temperature and lowness of the rivers. 

 These effects, however, must, of course, be greatly modified by local 

 peculiarities. Streams with a large outfall will feel it least. So 

 far as spring angling is concerned, the early run of fish (before 

 February 1) is certain to give a reasonable stock to the rivers, and 

 the high water and freshes of that and the succeeding month will, 

 in nine seasons out of ten, constantly add to the stock. 



Should such a river flow from a lake, the want of water will not 

 be felt as an inconvenience, the fish being certain to run into it, and 

 consequently a long spell of dry weather will interfere less with 

 angling in spring than in summer. Nevertheless, a drought is our 

 greatest enemy, except perhaps in such rivers as the Erne and 

 Blackwater below the weirs, where it must be greater than I have 

 ever seen it, to injure sport materially. 



In Lough Melvin, which will be our next station, its effects must 

 be more felt, for although the Bundoran river the little Drowse 

 (the word is spelt as pronounced), enters the sea in a narrow and 

 sufficient stream, yet, as it approaches the lake, the shallows in dry 

 weather are so low, as to offer an almost impassable barrier to the 

 farther advance of the salmon. In such circumstances they have no 

 alternative but to drop back into the deeps above the village, lie like 

 logs at the bottom, and pray to Jupiter for rain. 



Instead of dragging out the reader this morning, to see only 

 perhaps one or two fish killed, it appears more advisable to devote ag 

 much of this paper as possible to a desciiption of the waters of the 

 neighbourhood, and thus give him the means of performing this 

 most agreeable part of an angler's business for himself. 



Sligo forms excellent head-quarters for the tourist. He may take 

 his ease at his inn, or, if economically disposed, can secure comfort- 



