ENGLAND AND WALES 225 



of salmon has been astonishing. Where once a single 

 fish was rather rare, some rods have now as many 

 as a dozen fish each in the season. The river suffers 

 from pollution. Far up on the edge of Dartmoor 

 are tin and copper mines, from which deleterious 

 matter is turned into the stream. Late in last 

 August there was a small flood. High were the 

 hopes of the fishermen. There were many sea-trout 

 and salmon in the river, and many others in the 

 estuary, waiting for fresh water. Alas ! The ac- 

 cumulated refuse of two months was brought down ; 

 the fish in the estuary could not face the pollution, 

 and those in the river would look at nothing. The 

 mines had had a flush, and had sent down all the 

 contents of their catch-pits. The wonder is that 

 there was not a great disaster. The Angling As- 

 sociation made representations to the mine owners, 

 but there was no definite result. The County 

 Council seem to be quite unconcerned." 



The GRALM is a much-polluted stream lying east 

 of the Plym. Paper and cloth mills about five miles 

 above Gralmpton distribute ruin throughout its course. 



The WALKHAM, a tributary of the Tavy, holds 

 sea-trout and a few salmon, and has no pollution. 

 It has benefited by the causes which have tended to 

 improve the stock in the Tavy. 



The LYNHER, a Cornish stream, was for forty years 

 utterly ruined by pollution from the mines. Since 

 these were abandoned, about four years ago, migra- 

 tory fish have begun to ascend the river, which now 

 Keems likely to recover its excellence. One young 



15 



