SALMON ANGLING IN IRELAND. 175 



very small, and years must elapse before the great body of the Irish 

 waters will be able to complain of this evil. Till then our glorious 

 Act must produce general benefit ; nor may we raise our voice 

 against it, even should a particular locality suffer. When the 

 halcyon days of a universal plethora have arrived, our Act will die, 

 full of glory ; yet will it live for ever in history as a monument of 

 the wisdom of those who framed it. 



I shall be afraid to face Pat Heames to-morrow. What will he 

 say to my breach of faith ? 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



" Up the River" Pontoon Unexpected arrival of the Colonel He discourses 

 in the small hours A week on Lough Conn Departure for Galway. 



Saturday, July 22. 

 On a lovely morning in the latter part of July we walked up Mill- 

 street and knocked at the palace gate of his Majesty Pat Heames 

 the First. Crowned by acclamation monarch of the Upper water. 

 King Pat may be considered solely in the light of a naval power. 

 His fleet, however, boasts no ironclads ; no 12-ton guns threaten 

 to hurl misery and ruin on his rivals ; yet are his ships admirably 

 fitted for the warfare they have to wage. An old-world potentate 

 is he, who ignores steam, and, like the uncrowned despots of Tyre 

 and Carthage, puts his trust in the oar. Honest Pat Heames I light 

 hearts and bright spirits man your flotilla, whilst 



Youth at the prow and pleasure at the helm 



form a crew meet for the summer voyages your barques make. This 

 is for old acquaintance, Pat, and long may you reign and prosper ! 



From the Weirs to Foxford a distance of about ten miles the 

 Moy pursues a devious course ; fringed with many a bush, and now 

 and then adorned by a noble tree, the river is, nevertheless, for 



