THE BIRMINGHAM WATERWORKS 39 



taken full possession of them, and both rivers are 

 netted and fished in every kind of unlawful manner ; 

 of course it is impossible to prevent this being 

 done. 



The Birmingham Corporation probably take 

 no interest in the fishing, and are powerless to 

 prevent this. Seeing, however, that the men will 

 inhabit this valley for many years yet to come, it 

 is a pity that the corporation cannot induce them 

 to adopt some close time, and other regulations, 

 to prevent the absolute depletion of these streams, 

 and so avoid killing the goose that lays for them 

 these golden eggs. Netting should be entirely 

 stopped. 



These rivers are for miles the property of this 

 great corporation, and if some preservative regu- 

 lations were adopted by the men themselves, such 

 as I have indicated, they would soon have fish in 

 plenty, both for fly and bottom fishing. As it is at 

 present they get scarcely any fish at all. 



Certainly the Elan Valley Hotel is a place at 

 which a few days may be spent with perfect enjoy- 

 ment, if only to watch the marvellous engineering 

 work now going on in the midst of these picturesque 

 mountains and valleys. 



July 12. A dull morning, threatening rain, but 

 none came. I attacked another part of the river, 

 starting from Llanbadarn-Fawr Bridge intending 

 to fish down about two miles to Crabtree Green 

 Bridge ; but I did not get so far. I laboured amidst 

 the usual difficulties of water deep down, ten feet 



