ON RIVERS 89 



that the ultimate cause of trolling, systematically 

 practised, was none other than Mr. Gladstone. He 

 was staying at Butterstone, in Perthshire. Mr. 

 George Curzon, afterwards Viceroy of India, also 

 was visiting in the neighbourhood. He was exceed- 

 ingly anxious to have a Tay salmon to present to 

 Mr. Gladstone. Naturally, therefore, he called in 

 the help of Mr. Malloch. Fish being plentiful in 

 the river at the time, Mr. Malloch led Mr. Curzon 

 forth with confidence. To make quite sure of 

 success, he broke his use and wont by taking with 

 him a few minnows and prawns. Instead of begin- 

 ning with flies, Mr. Malloch and Mr. Curzon began 

 with minnows. They fished over the best of the 

 water without having a touch. Then they tried 

 prawns. Prawns were of no use. The day ended, 

 and a salmon for Mr. Gladstone had not been 

 caught. Much vexed, Mr. Malloch set about seek- 

 ing the cause of failure. It occurred to him that the 

 explanation might lie in the temperature. This sur- 

 mise was strikingly justified. It is morally certain 

 that Mr. Curzon's ambition would have been fulfilled 

 if, instead of trying minnows and prawns in their 

 eagerness, Mr. Malloch and he had used flies. The 

 scientific warrant for this assertion is best stated in 

 a note with which Mr. Malloch has favoured me. 

 "The temperature of the water," he writes, "was 

 60. I have taken temperatures ever since, and now 

 know why we failed. With the water at 60 it is a 

 waste of time to try minnow or bait of any kind. 

 With the temperature above 50 fish do not take 



