250 FOREST LIFE IN ACADIE. 



and Chain of Rocks. These flies will do anywhere 

 New Brunswick. 



At the head of the Bay of Chaleurs, and about fifty^ 

 miles from Bathurst, we come to the Restigouche, one of 

 the largest rivers of British North America, 220 miles in 

 length, and formerly teeming with salmon from the sea 

 to its upper waters. So abundant were the fish some 

 twenty-five years ago, that Mr. Perley, Her Majesty's 

 Commissioner for the Fisheries, states that 3000 barrels 

 were shipped annually from this river, and in those days 

 salmon of 60lb. weight were not uncommon. Of late 

 years there has been a sad falling-ofF, and instead of 

 eleven salmon going to a barrel of 200lb., more than 

 twice the number must now be used. Unfortunately for 

 the preservation of the fish, and the prospects of the fly- 

 fisher, the character of this beautiful river is very different 

 to that of the Nepisiguit. For 100 miles the Eestigouche 

 runs in a narrow valley between wooded mountains with 

 an almost unvarying rapid current, with but few deep 

 pools and no falls. Hence the chances of rod-fishing are 

 greatly diminished, whilst settlers and Indians torch and 

 spear everywhere. The channel is much used by the 

 lumberers for the water-conveyance of provisions to the 

 gangs employed in the woods at its head-waters — scows 

 {i.e., large flat-bottomed barges) being employed, drawn 

 by teams of horses which find a natural tow-path in its 

 shingly beaches by the edge of the forest. High up the 

 river there are many rifts and sand-beaches, partly 

 exposed in a dry season, through which the channel 

 winds ; and the scow is often dragged through shallow 

 places, thus ploughing up the spawning grounds of the 

 salmon. 



