254 SALMON FISHING 



their hand in their pocket I know not ; and, as far as 

 I have been able to ascertain, whenever it comes to 

 be a question of paying, nobody seems to be too 

 willing to do so. Believe me, Yours very truly, 



BREADALBANE." 



The rumour from Canada was striking. If the 

 salmon were really declining in a land but little 

 subject, for its vast size, to the influences of industrial 

 civilisation, it would become theoretically possible 

 that there was some natural cause of an evil kind at 

 work all over the world. Thinking of this startling 

 possibility, I sought further particulars. 



"20 CARLTOK HOUSE TERRACE, S.W., 

 October. 



" Dear W. E. H., I don't know enough about 

 the fishing question in Canada. Ask Lord Minto 

 he knows. I heard, however, in Canada the other 

 day that the fishing had declined in the Maritime 

 Provinces. I don't think there is any one at Victoria 

 Street who knows. . . . Yours very truly, 



GILBERT PARKER." 



The next despatch tended to confirm what had 

 been said by Lord Breadalbane and Sir Gilbert 

 Parker. 



"6 AUDLEY SQUARE, W., 

 1st November 1905. 



" Dear Mr. Hodgson, . . . It is undoubtedly true 

 that the rivers in the Maritime Provinces have of 

 late years been not what they were. The river I am 

 best acquainted with is the Cascapedia, and that has 



