48 A RIVER OF NORWAY 



the sparks flying as the nails in his brogues 

 clattered on the stones. Alas ! almost at the 

 point when the river joins the fjord the hook 

 came away and we were left repining. 



For the next few days we killed several fish 

 a day, not counting the grilse, which as the 

 salmon came seemed to be less plentiful. 

 These salmon were all fresh run, but none had 

 sea-lice. We thought it possible that they 

 were fish which had run earlier, and being 

 unable to face the weight of water coming 

 over the Fos had returned to the fjord 



" The wat'ry herd, affrighted at the roar, 

 Rest on their fins awhile, and stay, 

 Then backward take their wond'ring way." l 



From some of the rivers farther north we 

 hear accounts of unusually good sport in the 

 lowest beats, while in the upper waters it is 

 below the average. In a year of normal water 

 and temperature, these lower beats are mostly 

 of little good, as the fish run through rapidly 

 to the higher reaches. 



We have often wondered what were the 

 habits of fish here before the ladder enabled 

 them to reach the upper water. That they came 



1 Dry den. 



