CAIRN NET. 61 



years previous to 1824 it averaged 12,000/. a year; but 

 in that year only about 10,000/. With the present rental 

 I am unacquainted. 



" The fishings, as regards their relative value, may be 

 divided into the following classes : — The first compre- 

 hends the short distance from the mouth of the river to 

 Berwick Bridge, where alone there are probably a greater 

 number of salmon captured than in all the remainder of 

 the river. From Berwick Bridge to Norham, to which 

 place the tide reaches, may be considered the second class : 

 as far as this place the net and coble only are in use. 

 From Norham to Coldstream Bridge the fishings are of 

 still less value ; and here, besides the net and coble, the 

 various modes of fishing practised in the upper parts of 

 the river are also in use — rodjisliing, setting, leistering ; 

 cairn, hanging, and straik nets. From Coldstream to the 

 Bridge of Kelso the net and coble are used only par- 

 tially in floods ; and on Mondays, says Mr. Houy, when, 

 by the cessation of the lower fishings on Sunday, the 

 salmon get further up, I have seen from 100 to 500 

 salmon and gilses caught at Kelso in the morning by 

 the net and coble. From Kelso to the higher districts 

 of the river the principal modes of fishing are by the 

 rod, leister, caii*n and straik net." 



When fish are ascending the river the cairn net is 

 very destructive. In the parts of the river most favour- 

 able for placing it a cairn is built, as in the vignette. 

 This projection into the current makes the water com- 

 paratively still and easy below ; and Salmon in travelling 

 naturally take to it, as finding there some relief to the 

 labour of ascending. They pass between the net and the 



