198 A YEAE or LIBERTY ; OE, 



of the river, we confessed we had seldom seen a wilder or mord^ 

 enchanting view. Like the Spiddal, the Costello requires rain to 

 bring it up to concert pitch ; and failing this the club are always 

 able to fall back on the lakes. 



At the head of a deep inlet called Kilkerran Bay two small rivers 

 fall into the sea the Screebe and the Furnace. These are new 

 candidates for fame, and will probably within a few years equal, 

 if they do not surpass, their older rivals. The Screebe has a 

 course as long as either of the rivers I have recently described, 

 and, moreover, has one peculiarity which distinguishes it from 

 every other stream with which I am acquainted, for so close is 

 the lower lake to the beach that at spring tides the fish are 

 carried directly into it, and if disposed can at once ascend to three 

 others. This is an incalculable advantage, as it makes the small 

 river entirely independent of rain. These waters falling into the 

 sea near each other are naturally in the hands of the same lessees. 

 I cannot, however, do better than tell my story in the words of the 

 able and energetic manager : 



" The Screebe fishery is located north-west of Galway. You pass 

 its head waters twenty-two miles from that town, on the Clifden- 

 road, at a place called the Cross-roads. From the source it runs 

 about ten miles due west through a number of lakes, and then falls 

 into the head of Kilkerran Bay. The Furnace is a small stream 

 running through several good lakes south-west of the Screebe, and 

 falls into the same bay near the mouth of that river. It contains 

 both salmon and sea-trout, but is a late stream, the fish not coming 

 up before the first summer flood. As regards the sport to be had in 

 these lakes (for it is chiefly lake fishing), I consider it is not to be 

 equalled in Ireland, or I may say will not be in another year or two. 

 The present lessees have only had it one year, and up to that time 

 the fishery had not been cared for, except to kiU every fish possible 

 for the market. The spawning ground on this fishery was hardly 

 enough to breed as many fish as would keep the otters, cranes, 

 and cormorants which lived on it ; but the spawning ground has 

 b^^'Ti now increased tenfold ; thirteen otters have been killed, and 



