236 THE LAUGEN. 



We have next the Laugen, at Laurvig, a considerable 

 stream, and, by all accounts, a first-rate one for the rod. 



" We made an excursion, some days since, to a fall four 

 Norwegian miles up the river," so wrote Sir Hyde Parker to 

 me under date of the 3rd of August, 1838, " when in three 

 days, Colonel Eyres and myself killed one hundred and eleven 

 fish some of them thirty-five, and one forty pounds. But 

 the half of them were brown, and must have been of the 

 tribe which passed up in June. Mr. Proby went afterwards, 

 and in one day killed fourteen, and was then stopped by rain, 

 and consequently thick water." 



Other friends of mine have also had good sport in this 

 river. " We are now under weigh for Russia," writes 

 Captain Petre to me under date of the 29th of July, 

 " having been staying a fortnight at the falls of the Laugen, 

 and have killed ninety-seven salmon the eight largest, from 

 nineteen to twenty pounds ; the remainder, thirteen, nine, 

 eight, down to four ; and we should have killed a good many 



more, but unfortunately B was confined with a bad knee 



the last six days, and is still completely disabled. I caught 

 the last few days twelve, eleven, and nine salmon a day." 



The Laugen is an early river, as regards the lower portion 

 of it at least ; for at the rapids spoken of by Sir Hyde 

 Parker, which are at some distance in the interior, the fish 

 do not appear until the season is somewhat advanced. 



A considerable portion, if not the whole, of the fishable 

 parts of the Laugen are now, I believe, rented. 



The Nid, on which the town of Arendal is situated, is 

 the next river of consequence ; but never having heard of 

 any one being very successful here, I doubt its being a good 

 fishing river. 



