288 A YEAR OF LIBERTY ; OR, 



be obtained by legislation checking, at least for the present, undue 

 consumption. If the net season ended July 25, and the angling 

 season closed September 25, the fisheries would be benefited, the 

 sportsman satisfied, and the upper proprietors possessed of a property 

 worth improving. If these last were certain of having their waters 

 well stocked for a period of two months, artificial propagation 

 twenty-five times as profitable as the natural method would pay, 

 and soon become universal. Legislation in the dark ages of our 

 fisheries was eminently one-sided ; to be successful it must be 

 impartial. Monopolies do not answer. The time has not yet 

 arrived when the doctrine of share and share alike, as applied to 

 river proprietors, will be tolerated ; it must come, however, and 

 then, and not till then, will our water farms yield their strength. 

 Some day our streams, from the source to the sea, will represent so 

 many joint-stock companies, with shares in the ratio of ripal 

 rights, bound together for mutual defence and by a common interest. 

 I repeat that this time will come, and I can only add, the sooner the 

 better. 



" Nice cast that," observed my host, with a due regard to his 

 own interest, pointing to a deep run in a straight line with the 

 bridge. " You try it whilst I move a little higher up." 



In this wicked world who can be safe from the arts of designing 

 men ? Here was this faithless commander, with fair speeches, 

 beguiling his guest out of the best pool on the Inny. Even so, old 

 friend ; but we know the water quite as well as you do, and it will 

 go hard if you do not find a Eoland for your Oliver before the day 

 ends. 



About two-thirds down the lodge was a deep nick cut in the bank 

 by drainage from the bog, and at this point we obtained the first 

 rise. Instinctively glancing up the stream (whilst stretching out my 

 hand to catch the casting-line, in order to change the trail) I saw one 

 of the Major's imps warily watching a fish his wicked old master was 

 playing with enviable firmness and skill. Did his neighbours covet 

 his ill-gotten gains ? I fear they did. Making the best of a bad 

 business, we came over our salmon carefully, and were rewarded with 



