BALMON ANGLmO tN IRELAND. 53 



October, intending to botanise from thence to Benbulben. But it 

 happened that the little river was clearing, after prolonged rains ; 

 the lake was high, and of course so was the Drowse. Under these 

 circumstances, if another rare specimen had never been added to my 

 hortus siccus, I should not have cared. So I unpacked a rod, 

 engaged an old fellow as guide, whom I subsequently learned was 

 the very worst in all Ireland, and set off for Mellinaleck Bridge. 

 There was, at that state of water, a lovely stream just below the 

 bridge, where we commenced with an olive ; half-way down, I found 

 him, and a capital salmon he was. From thence we worked up the 

 water. Before evening, the basket contained three stout fish, two 

 grilse, thirteen gillaroo, some brown trout, and, if my memory is 

 correct, two or three white trout. 



This leaf from an old MS. may seiTe as an illustration of the 

 remark that during the late autumn spates good sport may be had on 

 the Drowse. I do not pretend to be an authority on this subject, as 

 my experience is too limited. I only visited the river once or twice 

 in each of the many happy seasons spent on the Erae, seasons which 

 have a pleasant place in my memory, recalling many kindnesses and 

 many friends. I feel bound, however, to say, that the visits above 

 referred to seldom proved satisfactory ; perhaps they were ill-timed ; 

 perhaps all my luck had ended with the first speculation ; there ought, 

 however, to have been ample compensation, as I figured in " some- 

 body's " black books a long time after, and was always considered a 

 defaulter from the tranquil pursuit of botany and the picturesque. 



In the next chapter we shall go back to the lake and narrate our 

 small experience of the Salmo famosus. I hope, however, no very 

 learned person will expose me for calling the large trout of Lough 

 Melvin ''names;" I care little what their scientific appellation may 

 be ; ignorance profound as mine is hardly worth so large a waste of 

 wisdom. 



