154 A RIVER OF NORWAY 



these records which would appear remarkable 

 to-day. But the note of pessimism is present. 

 Sir Hyde Parker, one of the best known of the 

 early anglers, and the captor of a 60-pound 

 fish in the Namsen, writes : " In Norway every 

 man is now a fisherman, and many of the waters 

 are hired, so that it is difficult to get a cast to 

 yourself; and I consider the game nearly up, 

 at least for an old one like myself, and not 

 worth going the distance. There are few flog- 

 ging rivers, all dragging, which levels all, and 

 skill avails nothing." 



Lloyd's " Scandinavian Adventures " is a mine 

 of information on all matters connected with 

 Northern sport and natural history ; few better 

 books are to be found on the sportsman's 

 shelves. 



We have seen that already before 1850 

 the best waters were beginning to be rented 

 for the exclusive use of anglers. This was not 

 always an easy business to arrange. The land 

 being held in small parcels by peasant pro- 

 prietors, it was sometimes necessary, in order 

 to obtain an extensive right, to come to terms 

 with thirty or forty individuals. But the lease 

 once settled, the angler's position was secure ; 



